Treasure Hill (White Pine County, Nevada)

Treasure Hill is an east-jutting spur of the White Pine Range of White Pine County in the easte central of the U.S. states of Nevada.Hamilton is situated at the northern base of the hill while Treasure City is situated on the hill, 2.5 miles (4.0 km) from Hamilton. It lies to the east of Mount Hamilton and to the northwest of Mokomoke Hill. It was noted for its silver mining from 1867 until the late 1880s. Between 1867 and 1880, the total production from the mines of the Treasure Hill was valued at US$ 20 million. By early 1881 the mining activity had collapsed as the mining of the hill was dependent on the deposits and not on the lasting silver bearing geological veins. As a result, by 1888 there were only 24 people living there with the principal towns of Hamilton at the base of the hill, the Treasure City on the hill side and the Shermantown went into oblivion.

The first expedition to the area of the White Pine region in Nevada was by Austin-based explorers who found copper, lead, antimony, and iron, and exploration was started by the Monte Cristo Mining Company. However, soon enough, in the autumn of the same year, silver deposits were found in the region on the Treasure Hill. This was chance discovery as one of the ethnic Indian known as Nagpias Jim (Nagpias means Silver) had showed the rich ore taken from a location in the region to his friend A. J. Lesthers, a blacksmith, who converted it into a silver button (the value of silver at the time was $1.32 per ounce). Later the area where the ore was found became the Hidden Treasure Mine, the yield from one ton of ore from this mine was worth US $500–800. The next mine yielded US $ 800–1000 per ton of ore and the third mine proved to a bonanza of pure silver, a "putty", with a yield potential of US $ 15000-20000 per ton of ore.

The crest of the hill was a barren wind swept land before many claimants established their stores with mining claims and drilling every few feet away from each other.

Then the staking fever ensued with "every boomer, promoter, card shark, merchant-capitalist, prostitute and prospector in the West" making a beeline to the Treasure Hill. This discovery in the spring of 1868 of silver ore on Treasure Hill led to a prosperous but short-lived boom called the "shortest and most intense mining rush." The hill was named after the notable ore discoveries.

The nearest establishment to operate the mines was set up at the Cave City at the foot of the hill in 1868 and its name was changed later to Hamilton. The discovery of silver created what was termed as “White Pine Fever.” Hotel and saloons were soon established. In 1869, the floating population reported was 10,000. Once water supply was established to the towns, several mills sprung up around the towns. Smelting works were built at a cost of $ 60000, the furnaces were housed in a big building and a 20-ton capacity and 45 ft long smoke stack was created. A 10 stamp Nevada started functioning from 20 May 1869 and a 20 stamp Big Smoky called the Treasure Hill was established on 24 May 1869. Further expansion of the mills occurred on 1 June 1869 with setting up of the 24 Stamp Manhattan.

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