Rhyolite Nevada Montgomery Shoshone Mine 1907 Cyanotype Real Photo Postcard
The Montgomery Shoshone Mine, located near Rhyolite, Nevada, was a significant gold producer during the Bullfrog Mining District's boom period in the early 20th century. Established in the wake of gold discoveries in 1904, Rhyolite rapidly grew into one of Nevada's largest and most modern mining towns by 1907, the year this photograph was taken. The mine itself, depicted with its substantial processing mill, was central to the town's prosperity, attracting thousands of prospectors and investors.
Rhyolite represents a classic example of a Western American boomtown, characterized by swift growth, sophisticated infrastructure for its time – including electric lights, water systems, and railroads – and an equally rapid decline. The town's fortunes, and thus the mine's output, waned dramatically after the Panic of 1907 and as high-grade ore diminished, leading to its near abandonment by 1911. Its short but intense life vividly illustrates the volatile nature of the gold mining industry in the American West.
Rhyolite represents a classic example of a Western American boomtown, characterized by swift growth, sophisticated infrastructure for its time – including electric lights, water systems, and railroads – and an equally rapid decline. The town's fortunes, and thus the mine's output, waned dramatically after the Panic of 1907 and as high-grade ore diminished, leading to its near abandonment by 1911. Its short but intense life vividly illustrates the volatile nature of the gold mining industry in the American West.
