Belmont Courthouse State Historic Park
The Belmont Courthouse State Historic Park is a state park in Nye County, Nevada. It consists of a former Court House, an administration and Courthouse, located in the ghost town of Belmont, 75 km north-east of Tonopah. He can be reached via U.S. Highway 6, the Nevada State Route 376 and Monitor Valley route. The Nevada Division of State Parks was the Court House in 1974 by Nye County deeded.
1865 made an unknown Indians who first finds a rich near-surface Silbererzlagerstätte. The Mexican Antoine Borquez got himself in October of the same year the mineral rights. Within the next two years evolved from a collection of tents a presentable city with a bank, a school, two churches, post office and telegraph station, grocery store and two newspapers. A mine journal from the time reported by 50 buildings in Belmont, of which 20 were whiskey shops. The population reached a strength of 2,000 residents in 1867, making it to Virginia City, the second largest city of the former Nevada.
The first farmers, ranchers and farmers settled in 1866 and thanks to the numerous sources could miscellaneous grains such as wheat, alfalfa and rye as well as apples, peaches, apricots and berries are grown.
Developed trade relations to surrounding towns and larger shipments over San Francisco, Sacramento and Austin were necessary.
In Belmont, the first ore mill was built in 1868, so that in the year sales of 1.5 million U.S. dollars were generated.
Through this foreseeable development, the government of Nevada led in February 1867 to relocate the county seat of Nye County of Ione to Belmont. Initially, a wooden building was used as a temporary solution. In September 1868 a brick building was acquired on the main road and covered. Reconstruction measures for the concerns as administrative and court building could not meet all the necessary requirements, primarily lacking in space.
It would take until 1875 to concrete plans for a suitable new building to be taken. 7 architects brought a draft and the contract was awarded to the drawings of the JK Winchell from Carson City for $ 350. His idea was a two-story brick building of burnt brick on a stone foundation with a footprint of 15x18 meters. For the roof of a Cupola and 6 fireplaces was provided. Most of the functional building was intended for offices. Upstairs was the courtroom, each with an adjoining room for the jury and the judge. Two months later, the tender was completed and ITBenham from Reno got the job with the most competitive offer of 22,000 U.S. dollars. A building site could be purchased for $ 650 from the Belmont Mining Company.
Already in August, worked on the foundation and by the end of September, the furnaces were completed at the site for the production of bricks. The timber was shipped from the west of Nevada on Palisade and Eureka. The masons are working hard in anticipation of the approaching winter weather, so mid-December, the walls were already completed.
In the following spring of 1876, the steel plates were installed for the prison wing and in April, the roof was completed with the superstructure. Work on the interior were completed in June and July 4th celebrations could be committed to the new Independence Courthouse.
In the same year, itself a decline in mining income was noticeable. A quick recovery was noticeable in 1883 and 1885, but came to a halt 1886-1889. 1903 emigrated many miners from to Tonopah and consequently the administrative seat of the county in 1905 was also relocated there.
The Belmont Court House stood in the deserted town for decades openly accessible. Wind, weather and so many creatures have left their mark on and leave the building. 1974 took over the management of the State Park now dilapidated building and renovated it from scratch. Several visitors had immortalized themselves in the times of the vacancy with doodles, inscriptions, Ritzerei and Carving on the walls and door frame of the building. Among the most prominent part of the businessman George Vucanovich, later husband of Congresswoman Barbara Vucanovich. Is disputed the authenticity of a likely carved with a penknife text Charlie Manson family in 1969. A time of honor 1969, Rose Walter, died in the late 1980s, was sure that in 1969 the true Charles Manson and the Manson Family for some time the Courthouse occupied.
In the Belmont Courthouse State Historic Park is no infrastructure for tourists is otherwise present, no gas station.