Index for Category - Tonopah Nevada

This page last updated on 12/26/2017

Tonopah Nevada Tonopah - Summary Tonapah's Historic Mitzpah Hotel Tonopah's Arthur Raycraft House Tonopah Historic Mining Park Central Nevada Museum - Tonopah, NV Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Plant - Tonopah, NV

Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Plant

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(Fig. 01)

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Location & Status: On 08/08/2013,stopping several miles short of the actual site I drove about 8 miles out on the access road to the construction site to capture a picture of the solar plant’s 540-foot tower. Located on 1,600 acres of BLM land, approximately 25 miles northwest of Tonopah (Fig. 01), ground was broken on the project September 1, 2011. With an anticipated completion cost of about $1 billion dollars, its 540-foot solar power tower was completed in February of 2012. Currently being installed are the project’s 17,500 heliostat mirrors which will be used to collect and focus the sun's thermal energy. Though originally estimated to be complete by the summer of 2013, the construction of the heliostat field only appeared about 25% complete. Commercial operation, planned to begin in December 2013, may be delayed until spring of 2014.

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire: SolarReserve (see Note (1) below), a U.S. developer of large-scale solar power projects, today announced completion of the 540-foot solar power tower (Fig. 02)  for its 110 megawatt (MW) Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Plant located near Tonopah, Nev. Utilizing the most advanced solar thermal technology worldwide, the Crescent Dunes Plant will be the nation’s first commercial-scale solar power facility with fully integrated energy storage and the largest power plant of its kind in the world (see Note (2) below).                 “Completion of the solar power tower is a significant milestone not only for SolarReserve and our plant, but also for the solar energy industry as a whole. This project is on track to bring American innovation to fruition and is already creating jobs,” said Kevin Smith, CEO of SolarReserve. “Our U.S.-developed technology has the ability to store energy for 10-15 hours and solves the issue of intermittent power generation to the grid, the number one limitation to other solar and wind renewable energy technologies. We can deliver electricity ‘on demand’ the same way a coal, natural gas or nuclear fueled plant does – but without emitting any harmful pollution or hazardous materials – providing a genuine alternative to conventional power generation.”                   The flagship project is jointly owned by SolarReserve, ACSCobra, a worldwide leader in the engineering and construction of power plants and solar thermal facilities, and Santander, a global financial services and banking leader. ACS Cobra’s Nevada-based affiliate, Cobra Thermosolar Plants Inc., is the general contractor for the project and is utilizing Nevada and regional subcontractors to perform the work. “We are pleased to be partnering with SolarReserve and Santander in constructing the world’s leading solar technology,” said Jose Alfonso Nebrera Garcia, Director General of ACS Cobra. “SolarReserve’s molten salt power tower technology will change the face of solar thermal power as the world knows it, and we are excited to help implement this important technology in Nevada.” Construction of the facility began in September of 2011 and currently has over 100 workers on site. More than 70 percent of the construction workers are local Nevadans and 80 percent of the subcontractors are Nevada-based, including union and non-union firms. Construction is expected to peak at more than 600 jobs on site during the 30-month construction period and is estimated to create more than 4,300 direct, indirect and induced jobs at companies throughout the U.S. that provide engineering, equipment supply and manufacturing, transportation and other value-added services. To date, orders for the project have been placed for equipment and services in more than 20 states.                The Crescent Dunes project has secured a 25-year power purchase agreement with NV Energy and will provide clean power to approximately 75,000 homes when complete. The project closed financing in September of 2011 utilizing private equity investment from SolarReserve, ACS Cobra and Santander along with support from the US Department of Energy’s loan guarantee program. “NV Energy is committed to supporting renewable energy development in Nevada and is proud to be working with SolarReserve on the Crescent Dunes Energy Plant,” said Michael Yackira, President and CEO of NV Energy. “We congratulate SolarReserve on this milestone and look forward to when our customers can enjoy the benefits of this new solar technology.”           The project is being constructed on federal land operated by the Bureau of Land Management. In November 2010, Interior Secretary Salazar signed the project’s thirty-year right-of-way and approval to construct. The plant is expected to be operational by the end of 2013. Once operational, the project will expend more than $10 million per year in salaries and operating costs, and is forecasted to generate $47 million in total tax revenues through the first 10 years of operation – contributing to workers’ paychecks, service businesses, local school systems and police and fire departments.

Note (1) - About SolarReserve: SolarReserve, LLC – headquartered in Santa Monica, Calif. – is a solar energy project development company developing large-scale solar energy projects worldwide. It holds the exclusive worldwide license to the molten salt, solar power tower technology developed by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation. Since its formation in late 2007, SolarReserve’s team of power project professionals have assembled a concentrated solar power development portfolio of more than 25 projects featuring its licensed solar power technology with potential output of more than 3,000 megawatts in the United States and Europe; with early stage activities in other international markets including the Middle East, North and South Africa, Australia, China, India and Latin America. SolarReserve is also developing 1,100 MW of photovoltaic projects across the Western United States, and is actively acquiring new sites to add to the pipeline in the US and overseas. SolarReserve’s experienced management team has previously developed and financed more than $15 billion in renewable and conventional energy projects in more than a dozen countries around the world.

Note (1) - WORLD’S LARGEST MOLTEN SALT SOLAR TOWER PLANT: Power towers (also known as 'central tower' power plants or 'heliostat' power plants) capture and focus the sun's thermal energy with thousands of tracking mirrors (called heliostats) in roughly a two square mile field. A tower resides in the center of the heliostat field. The heliostats focus concentrated sunlight on a receiver which sits on top of the tower. Within the receiver the concentrated sunlight heats molten salt to over 1,000 °F . The heated molten salt then flows into a thermal storage tank where it is stored, maintaining 98% thermal efficiency, and eventually pumped to a steam generator. The steam drives a standard turbine to generate electricity. This process, also known as the "Rankine cycle" is similar to a standard coal-fired power plant, except it is fueled by clean and free solar energy. SolarReserve’s molten salt, concentrating solar power tower technology was successfully demonstrated in California under a U.S. Department of Energy-sponsored pilot project in the late 1990s. The 10 MW pilot facility utilized a molten salt receiver designed, engineered and assembled by Rocketdyne, now a part of United Technologies Corporation.

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Tonopah’s Arthur Raycraft House

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(Fig. 01)

08/09/2013 Trip Notes: After an overnight stay at the Mitzpah Hotel, we drove around town looking for some of the more prominent buildings and residences. Probably the most famous is the Arthur Raycraft House (Fig. 01) located at the base of a mountain on Booker Street on the western edge of town. Unfortunately the house is a private residence and not available for tours.

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History: The Arthur Raycraft house, built in 1906, has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1982 and is known locally by residents as the “Castle House” because of its two Queen Anne Style turrets on opposing ends of the front façade. It is said to be one of several houses in town that has been the dream house of just about every kid who has lived in Tonopah during the last century. It was deemed significant for its association with banker and businessman Arthur G. Raycraft. Its substantial architecture is an outstanding example of stone construction (Fig. 02) during the early days of Tonopah’s mining boom and provides an interesting variation of the dominant residential style in Tonopah in the early 1900’s. The structure was designed by architect and builder, George Holesworth, who is known as the "Architect of Nevada." He also designed other Tonopah structures including the Belvada (State Bank and Trust Co.), the Mizpah Hotel, the St. Mark's Episcopal Church and the Frank Golden Block (Masonic Lodge).                     Arthur Raycraft came to Tonopah as a banker in 1904 and over the next several years became an investor in many of the mining camps in the Tonopah area, eventually leading him to become president of the Dexter-Manhattan Mining Company. An enthusiastic proponent of using wireless to keep in contact with the mining camps around the west-central Nevada area, he is also known for installing the first wireless telegraph system between Tonopah, Nevada and a similar installation in Manhattan, Nevada, about 30 miles north of Tonopah. Raycraft installed the first system in the upper floor of the house, and according to the new owners, remnants still remain.              Today the home is the private residence of Joni and Dennis Eastley. In 1998, the Eastley’s  purchased the house from the Pillers family and began restoring it. Being a true purist, and wanting to keep things the way they were, Joni didn’t do a single thing to the house without consulting a historian or architecture preservationist. Without the aid of photographs and because various renters over the years had destroyed much of the homes interior, restoration was a nightmare.               From the reconstruction of the totally destroyed interior banister to buying and stamping sheets of copper to construct the kitchen’s ceiling, to purchasing reclaimed wood from a company in Sacramento for the crown molding and other trim throughout the house, the Eastleys have made every effort to keep the restoration as true to 1908 as possible.  Joni even keeps a notebook where she lists the original home of each chandelier, piece of stained glass, and furniture that has been used in the restoration. They have put just as much care into the restoration and preservation of the home’s exterior (Fig. 03). Because the lower turret was falling apart from overgrown honeysuckle, Dennis bartered for similar reclaimed rock with other local property owners.                 This, now long and arduous 15-year labor of love, has had its ups and downs. On February 1, 1999 during the early stages of renovation, the oil furnace went out causing a fire that started when the space heaters overheated the knob and tube wiring. Two days later, all the pipes in the house froze and burst, causing the Eastley’s replace all the electrical and much of the piping. So far she and her husband have spent well in excess of $100,000 trying to restore it to its original state. Despite these challenges, they have pushed on and have plans to complete the restoration and to landscape the property. Hopefully, they will someday consider opening the house for tours by the public so we can all share in the success of their efforts.

(Fig. 03)

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Tonopah’s Historic Mitzpah Hotel

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This page last updated on 04/13/2017

(Fig. 01)

(Fig. 02) 08/08/2013 Trip Notes: This was our first opportunity to stay in this historic hotel (Fig. 01) since it reopened for business in the summer of 2011. I must say, based upon what I had read, we had high expectations and were not disappointed.  Even though our room contained all of today's modern comforts and conveniences, such as Wi-fi and a flat-screen TV, it was filled with period furniture and fixings, including a 100-plus year old claw-foot tub which gave it an “old fashioned” charm and feel (Fig. 02).

(Fig. 03) The minute we passed through the door and entered the registration area, see (Fig. 03), we felt transported back in time to the days when Tonopah was a thriving mining town. Leaving the registration area, you enter the large hotel lobby, full of period furniture for sitting and lounging with a beautiful long bar that almost runs the length of the room, that featured a fine selection of carefully selected beer and wine from many of the finest breweries and wineries in the United States.

(Fig. 04) The quite extensive lobby area is beautifully and tastefully decorated with dozens of furnishings and items reminiscent of the period. Besides the beautifully upholstered chairs, couches and settees, there is the original (circa) 1907 hotel desk, a safe made by the Gary Safe Company of Buffalo, New York, newspaper racks, and much more. Located at the rear of the lobby, in what appears to be the original bank vault from the Tonopah Banking Corporation that was housed in the Brougher-Govan building, is the Otteson’s World Famous Turquoise Jewelry and gift shop (Fig. 04).

As soon as we took our luggage to the room and got ‘refreshed’, we headed to the lobby for a much needed relaxing drink after our six-and one-half hour drive. After retreating to our room for a nice hot tub, we changed our of our ‘driving’ clothes and headed down to the warm and cozy Pittman Café (Fig. 05) for a well deserved meal. For dinner we experienced simple, yet delicious meals made from premium ingredients with some special touches. Connie had the Salmon topped with a Bourbon sauce and shrimp; I had the Top Sirloin stuffed with tomato, cheese and garlic and topped with shrimp (Fig. 06). Both meals were quite good. We were slightly disappointed that they were no longer serving dinner in the more elegant Jack Dempsey Room (Fig. 07). It appears that this room is now only being used for special events.

(Fig. 05)

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During our stay, we drove around town and mad visits to the Tonopah Historic Mining Park & Central Nevada Museum that only seemed to further enhance the vibe of the town’s deep seeded mining history. While at the mining park we took a self-guided tour that allowed me to visit several additional mines and hoist houses that I didn’t have time enough to experience on my previous visit here. The Central Nevada Museum, with its hundreds of displays containing relics and memorabilia, provided a feel for what mining and everyday life in a mining boom camp was like at the turn of the 20th century.

(Fig. 08)

(Fig. 09) History of the Mizpah Hotel: Built in 1907-08 and named after Jim Butler's famous Mizpah Mine (which was staked by his wife Belle), the five-story Mizpah Hotel was the tallest and most splendid building in Nevada until 1929 and was the social hub of Tonopah. It rooms, many with red carpet, oak furniture and beautiful views, recall Tonopah's rich past.The hotel was pre-dated by the Mizpah Saloon, which opened in 1907, and was the first permanent structure in Tonopah. The current hotel is actually made up of two buildings. The Brougher-Govan Block, connected to the north side of the Mizpah Hotel, was constructed in 1905 and is still labeled as such to remind residents and visitors. Three influential Tonopah citizens—State Senator Wilson Brougher, his brother Calvin Brougher, and Robert Govan—who owned the Tonopah Lumber Company, financed the building which quickly became an important business center in early Tonopah, housing the offices of Brougher’s Tonopah Banking Corporation and Ramus Brokerage Company. The three-story Brougher-Govan Block, constructed of native granite contained rooms on the upper floors, that served as the first Mizpah and to this day remains connected. The Brouger-Govan Block was for a short time the largest building in town. The hotel portion of the business was prospering to such a degree that, in early 1907, four Nevada investors decided that the market was prime for a dedicated five-story hotel with the finest accommodations of the day. Designed by George E. Holesworth of Reno, Nevada (other sources state that the architect was Morrill J. Curtis) and financed by George Wingfield, George Nixon, Bob Govan and Cal Brougher who was involved with the Belmont, Tonopah, Midway and Tonopah Mining Company and the Tonopah Divide Mining Company. (Fig. 09) shows the outer doors of the double-door entryway.                    (Fig. 10) Construction started in the early spring of 1907, but was later held up when the “Panic of 1907”, brought on by a national banking crisis, hit in the fall and brought the Silver State’s mining boom to a screeching halt. Also, money previously committed to the Mizpah was utilized to help rebuild San Francisco after the devastating 1906 earthquake. Through the winter of 1907-08, the building sat in a state of flux with its windows boarded up. Fortunately, the general depression recovered by mid-1908, and Wingfield was instrumental in resuming construction of the hotel that summer. The hotel’s grand opening was celebrated by roughly 5,000 people on November 17, 1908. Built to last, the reinforced concrete hotel was faced with stone on the front and brick on the sides and rear. Cast iron columns were used in the windows and fire escapes. The two three and five story buildings were joined with a wood stairway crowned with a skylight. Steam heat was provided, along with the first elevator in Tonopah. (Fig. 10) show the detail of the leaded-glass windows that surround the entire first floor.         (Fig. 11) Over the next fifty years the hotel struggled as it mirrored the town’s own struggle to remain relevant amidst the growth of Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas, and Reno as gaming and tourist destinations, Tonopah largely survived given its unique position as the halfway point on the long drive from Las Vegas to Reno. There were a couple significant milestones for the hotel during these years. On October 1, 1956, new owners Myron Stahl and Les E. Short erected a brilliant neon sign, a symbol for a promising new era for the hotel. The hotel eventually expanded its casino and cocktail lounge. The hope was short-lived, however, as a Philadelphia group seized control of the building in 1963. By 1966, the Mizpah was closed for business for the first time in its almost 60-year history. In 1976, Frank Scott, co-founder of the Union Plaza, had a dream about reviving the Mizpah, and invested $4-$6 million restoring and reopening the hotel. Unfortunately, those dreams died as Tonopah went through continual booms and busts. (Fig. 11) is one of the pair of 'welcoming' lights outside the main entryway.            (Fig. 12) In more recent years, the hotel had been shuttered since 1999, however, in early 2011, the hotel was purchased for $200,000 by Fred and Nancy Cline of Sonoma, California. Though this was the same amount that it cost to build the hotel, that amount in 1908 would be equivalent to more than $4.5 million today. The Clines earned their fortune through grapes, operating Cline Cellars Winery and Jacuzzi Family Winery, both in Sonoma County, California. After spending and additional six hundred thousand dollars in renovations, upgrading wallpaper, carpeting, furnishings, flat-screen TVs and modern room amenities, they reopened the building to the public in August 2011. Twenty-three of the hotel's original bathtubs remain in use to this day. Nancy has said, "This hotel dictates 1907, and we're staying in that theme. To get out of that theme would be crazy. There is an authenticity to Tonopah that you can't find anywhere else." The newly renovated hotel features 47 rooms, a bar, and two restaurants; The Pittman Cafe and the more upscale Jack Dempsey Room. There are plans to renovate further rooms in the hotel annex and to add a small casino to the property. (Fig. 12) is a stained glass window on the building next door that the new owner is converting into a casino and bar.

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Tonopah Historic Mining Park

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The Central Nevada Museum, Tonopah, NV

Visit Notes: So far I have visited this museum (Fig. 01) on two occasions, once back on 10/25/2012 and more recently on 08/09/2013. It seems that each time I peruse its indoor displays and exhibits and wander the grounds, I find something new and learn a little more about what life was like in this 110 year old mining town. My favorite part of this museum are the extensive outdoor displays, which feature artifacts, small and large, from all over the area. This includes parts of a stamp mill from Manhattan, hoist cages, parts from military aircraft that crashed during Tonopah's years as a military base, buildings from various towns, and a nature walk featuring native plants and fauna.

Central Nevada Museum: The museum was founded in 1981 by the Central Nevada Historical Society and is operated under the direction of the Central Nevada Historical Society and Nye County. The Central Nevada Historical Society is dedicated to the preservation of the history of Central Nevada in Nye and Esmeralda Counties as well as surrounding areas. All collections belong to the Central Nevada Historical Society. This free museum has a large variety of great exhibits. The indoor displays and exhibits feature Tonopah “Queen of the Silver Camps”, Goldfield “The Greatest Gold Camp Ever” and other boomtowns of the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. They also include Native American artifacts, fossils, wildlife, mineral displays, art, mining in Central Nevada, railroads, ranch life, military artifacts and many photos of early ethnic groups and subjects showing everyday life in a mining boom camp. There is also a whole section with extensive information on the little known Tonopah Army Air Field that operated here between 1942 and 1945, and its contribution to the war effort. A training base for P-39 and B-39 crews, there were 110 young airmen were killed here while learning to fly during the early war years of WWII. By October, 1944, there were 66 B-24 aircraft available for the training program, and more than 1,264 officers and 5,273 enlisted men, in addition to a large number of civilians, assigned to the base. By September 15, 1945, shortly after fighting ended in the Pacific, just four aircraft remained at the airfield, and on October 15, the 442nd AAF Base Unit was discontinued. Click here for more pictures … Central Nevada Museum Exhibits.html.

There are numerous outdoor exhibits on the grounds surrounding the museum, including the observation tower from the Tonopah Army Air Field (TAAF), a 10-ton stamp mill, a double decker hoist cage (Fig. 02) from one of the old mines, an old west town featuring a row of miners’ shacks with plank sidewalks (Fig. 03), saloon, blacksmith shop, railroad yard with the SP railroad scale house (Fig. 04), out houses, early mining equipment, a 10-ton stamp mill, single operation ore cars (Fig. 05), the 1907 head frame from the Mustang Mine (Fig. 06), a fire house and hand drawn fire engine (and much more) in (Fig, 07).

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