The Blair, Nevada townsite is marked by the remains of a massive stamp mill, as well as a few other buildings. While the town had a prosperous run over several years in the early 1900's, its luck soon ran out and it became a ghost town shortly after. Today it is possible to walk amongst the ruins still standing at the site.
During a boom in gold mining around the towns of Tonopah and Goldfield, a mining town called Silver Peak was established about 25 miles west of Goldfield. Land speculators purchased much of the area surrounding Silver Peak, and when the Pittsburg-Silver Peak Gold Mining Company sought a site to build their large stamp mill, costly land prices led them to look a couple miles north where land was much cheaper. This purchase and subsequent construction led to the establishment of the town of Blair.
A spur line to the Tonopah & Goldfield Railroad main line was built to Blair, and a post office was also established in 1906. The following year the 100 stamp mill was built along a wide hillside.
At its height Blair held saloons, hotels, and a newspaper. However the town began to decline soon thereafter due to the poor grade of the ore. In 1915 the mill closed, and milling operations had moved to the town of Millers. The post office closed soon after, and in a couple years, the townsite of Millers lay completely abandoned.
Today, several buildings and foundations remain, and it is possible to climb the hill to the top of the mill site. The combination of the sizable mill foundation stretching down the hill, along with the quiet air in this rural part of the state really bring the feeling of isolation home. Ironically enough, the buildings overlook the large pools of a mining operation based out of Silver Peak - the only active lithium mining operation in the US.
Reaching the site of Blair requires about a mile drive on a graded dirt road, followed by a 3/4 mile walk through the desert landscape (lifted 4WD vehicles may be able to drive the entire way). There is also a bit of walking between ruins, some of which follows the former railroad grade which is now a level double track. For the best perspective, head first to the top of the mill with a pair of binoculars to look around and see the different foundations that litter the area that are hidden when you are lower and nearer to the building foundations.
There are no amenities of any type at the site, and no shade. Nearby Silver Peak only has a single bar. Be prepared before making the trip out to visit Blair.
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