Exploring the abandoned mines and buildings of Treasure Hill in Pioche, Nevada

Exploring the abandoned mines and buildings of Treasure Hill in Pioche, Nevada

For more on the Volcano Mine please follow this link:

This video describes our visit to Pioche, Nevada on 10-16-2018. Pioche is/was a mining town.
William Hamblin discovered gold and silver there in 1863 and in 1868 sold his claim to a banker from San Francisco named F. L. A. Pioche. By the late 1860’s Pioche was one of the baddest and roughest towns in the west and was ruled only by the gun when there were disputes. It was also one of the most important silver mining towns in Nevada. By 1872 the mining camps pushed the population to over 7000, but the fortunes soon faded and today the population is about 1000.
During the boom times there were reported to be over 70 saloons and a busy red light district and along with that many murders. In the early 1870’s it’s reported that 60% of the states murders occurred there and supposedly around 100 murderers are buried at Boot Hill cemetery.
Much of the mining was over by 1900 although some mining took place during WW2. There was an aerial tram that is still standing today that hauled ore from Treasure Hill to the Godbe Mill .
There are several attractions around town including a small museum and if you like rock and roll bands stop in to Kelly Garni’s art studio/cafe/bar and say hello. He was a founding member of the band Quiet Riot and was a childhood friend of the great guitarist Randy Rhoads. Kelly has his autobiography called ‘Angels With Dirty Faces’ for sale in his establishment. We enjoyed a meal there and also enjoyed talking with Kelly who has some great stories.

27 Comments

  1. Dianna Paulson on May 31, 2023 at 8:06 am

    Wow love seeing this… Very interesting. Thanks. awesome Video!

  2. TECHNO P.V.A. on May 31, 2023 at 8:07 am

    Старинные механизмы – потрясают!

  3. Wilderness Field Journal on May 31, 2023 at 8:08 am

    I really enjoy your videos about exploring historic sites. You take us to such fascinating places. Those miners do make a mess, it’s crazy how much stuff is just left in the desert. They probably dont even make hardware like that any more.

  4. Roger Smith on May 31, 2023 at 8:09 am

    Steam powered winch. Pre electric. Some were converted.

  5. Jon Yoder on May 31, 2023 at 8:10 am

    I’m reading a book about stage coach robbery’s and shotgun messengers. There was a Wells Fargo stage coach driver named Henry C Ward that raced down the top of Treasure Hill down to Hamilton at neck break speed to show off how much better their company was then the competitor. Apparently about 10,000 people lived in the area at the time. Glad to see the video of the area you took. Very interesting history. People long gone and pretty much forgotten.

  6. John C RV on May 31, 2023 at 8:13 am

    Only American steel can survive this long out there. Thanks for the tour guys it was interesting. 👍7

  7. Huples Cat on May 31, 2023 at 8:20 am

    Amazing how we can do things, use it up, and walk away

  8. potatothorn on May 31, 2023 at 8:23 am

    11:15 that is weird… almost looks like an electric motor to power the winch, but also looks like an air compressor part, or could be a cooling part.. i look up hendrie bolthoff and wow, they made just about everything you could i think of ….found a catalog, page 36.. this may be a Steam powered "friction hoist" that thing is where the steam comes in..// you can "blame Obama" for the mine gates, some Recovery Act money went towards gating off mines in the desert, was a big work project…. this is one excellent site tour, so much to see here thanks for taking us out there!

  9. Jacque La Tour CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS on May 31, 2023 at 8:25 am

    I’m guessing the units on the side of the hoist could be air compressors or could be for slowing the descent, but I’m leaning toward the first comment.

  10. Ralph Patrick on May 31, 2023 at 8:27 am

    That place was UNREAL! Thanks, Tom and Julie!

  11. Hike Camp on May 31, 2023 at 8:31 am

    Not much treasure but lots of junk to look through. lol

  12. RV Life with Ken and Jane on May 31, 2023 at 8:34 am

    I have worked in underground mines that were like cities down there

  13. Sonny Dayz on May 31, 2023 at 8:36 am

    That was one hell of a mine, for them to spend so much time & $ on it?

  14. TBI Firefighter on May 31, 2023 at 8:42 am

    This Retired Lode Miner really enjoys your Mine Videos Thanks for sharing. You asked what was on the Hoist, those are pneumatic hoist motors for use down in the Mine and that big building with the Forge is a evidently a Machine Shop and One Motor powered that whole shop and that’s what the drive shafts up in the rafters were for with belts running down to power each Machine.

  15. David Kuehl on May 31, 2023 at 8:45 am

    Those winches were awesome. Lots of equipment for sure.

  16. Jerry Klever on May 31, 2023 at 8:46 am

    The last hoist was steam driven with pistons in the piece you asked about.

  17. illmsg77 on May 31, 2023 at 8:46 am

    I really like that music, your ukulele skills are awesome!

  18. Pidasian Hippie on May 31, 2023 at 8:48 am

    That is some big equipment. It is always fun to look around and try to figure out what everything is.

  19. Joel Haas on May 31, 2023 at 8:48 am

    Babit ,may not be the right spelling,but was used as a bearing,most had grooves cut in the for grease channels. I helped many years ago pour these in the cement plant I worked at..

  20. Ranger Kooky on May 31, 2023 at 8:50 am

    Ty for the shares have a good day

  21. jack kridler on May 31, 2023 at 8:52 am

    Whats with all the white tanks are they for water?

  22. Kent Corcoran on May 31, 2023 at 8:52 am

    Tom can you ever show a mind that actually has gold in the walls of the mine

  23. Allen Oxendine on May 31, 2023 at 8:55 am

    Thanks for sharing guys… Always enjoyable to follow you on your exploration hikes…

  24. This Old Mine with Lars on May 31, 2023 at 8:59 am

    @11:20 looks like a steam piston. Probably a steam powered hoist.

  25. durwin pocha on May 31, 2023 at 9:00 am

    That drive shaft across the ceiling is a nice 1920’s machine shop and the drum end looks like a air compressor. But it’s hard to tell, really nice artifacts.

  26. Mark Cant Email on May 31, 2023 at 9:03 am

    Thanks for the tour

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