Ely, Nevada
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Ely (, ) is the largest city and
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
of
White Pine County, Nevada White Pine County is a largely rural, mountain County (United States), county along the central eastern boundary of the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 9,080. Its county seat is Ely, ...
, United States. Ely was founded as a stagecoach station along the Pony Express and Central Overland Route. In 1906 copper was discovered. Ely's mining boom came later than the other towns along US 50. The railroads connecting the
transcontinental railroad A transcontinental railroad or transcontinental railway is contiguous rail transport, railroad trackage that crosses a continent, continental land mass and has terminals at different oceans or continental borders. Such networks may be via the Ra ...
to the mines in Austin, Nevada and Eureka, Nevada have long been removed, but the railroad to Ely is preserved as a
heritage railway A heritage railway or heritage railroad (U.S. usage) is a railway operated as living history to re-create or preserve railway scenes of the past. Heritage railways are often old railway lines preserved in a state depicting a period (or periods) ...
by the
Nevada Northern Railway The Nevada Northern Railway was a railroad in the U.S. state of Nevada, built primarily to reach a major copper producing area in White Pine County, Nevada. The railway, constructed in 1905–06, extended northward about from Ely, Nevada, Ely to ...
and known as the ''Ghost Train of Old Ely''. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,924.


History

In 1878, Vermont resident J. W. Long came to White Pine County and soon set up a camp known as "Ely", after discovering
gold Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...
. The name "Ely" has been credited to several possible origins: Long's hometown of Ely, Vermont; a New York Congressman with the surname Ely, who sent Long as a representative according to local historians; Smith Ely, a Vermont native who financed one of the city's early mineral operations; and John Ely, an Illinois native who came to Nevada for mining. Ely was founded as a stagecoach station along the Pony Express and Central Overland Route. Ely's mining boom came later than the other towns along US 50, with the discovery of
copper Copper is a chemical element; it has symbol Cu (from Latin ) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkish-orang ...
in 1906. This made Ely a mining town, suffering through the boom-and-bust cycles so common in the West. Originally, Ely was home to a number of copper mining companies, Kennecott Utah Copper being the most famous. With a crash in the copper market in the mid-1970s, Kennecott shut down and copper mining disappeared (temporarily). With the advent of cyanide heap leaching—a method of extracting gold from what was previously considered very low-grade ore—the next boom was on. Many companies processed the massive piles of "overburden" that had been removed from copper mines, or expanded the existing open-pit mines to extract the gold ore. Gold mines as widespread as the Robinson project near Ruth, and AmSelco's Alligator Ridge mine from Ely, kept the town alive during the 1980s and 1990s, until the recent revival of copper mining. As Kennecott's smelter was demolished, copper concentrate from the mine is now shipped by rail to
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, where it is transported to
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for smelting. The dramatic increase in demand for copper in 2005 has once again made Ely a copper boom town. The now-defunct BHP Nevada Railroad ran from the mining district south of Ruth through Ely to the junction with the Union Pacific at Shafter from 1996 to 1999.


Geography and climate

Ely is east of Eureka, Nevada, west of
Delta, Utah Delta is the largest city in Millard County, Utah, Millard County, Utah, United States. It is located in the northeastern area of Millard County along the Sevier River and is surrounded by farmland. The population was 3,622 at the 2020 United St ...
, north of Pioche, Nevada, south of Wells, Nevada, and south of West Wendover, Nevada. According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , all of it land. Ely experiences a
semi-arid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of se ...
(
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''BSk''), and extreme day-night temperature differences year-round. Ely's nighttime temperatures account for it being listed as one of the coldest places in the
contiguous United States The contiguous United States, also known as the U.S. mainland, officially referred to as the conterminous United States, consists of the 48 adjoining U.S. states and the District of Columbia of the United States in central North America. The te ...
, with an average of 214.9 nights per year with a minimum temperature of or less, 15.7 nights reaching or less, and 21.7 days when the high does not top freezing. On average, the first and last dates of freezing temperatures are September 8 and June 18, respectively, allowing a growing season of only 79 days. Frosts have occurred in every month, even July. The diurnal temperature range of Ely is so great due to its elevation, dry air, clear skies, and location in a valley, allowing for intense radiative cooling at sunset, even after hot summer days. The monthly mean temperature ranges from in January to in July. High temperatures of or higher occur on an average of 29.2 days annually, but, due to the elevation and aridity, the low very rarely manages to stay at or above . Extreme temperatures ranged from on July 18, 1998 down to on February 6, 1989. On average, annual precipitation is , with 72.9 days of measurable precipitation annually. The wettest calendar year is 1897 with and the driest 1974 with , though as much as fell from July 1982 to June 1983. The most precipitation in one month was in April 1900, and the most in 24 hours was on September 26, 1982. Average annual snowfall is , while the most snowfall in one month was in March 1894, and the greatest depth of snow on the ground on January 23, 2010 – though data from neighboring Elko suggest greater depths in the winters of 1889/1890, 1915/1916 and 1931/1932. An average winter will see a maximum snow cover of , though the severe winter of 1951/1952 had fifty days with snow cover over . The most snowfall in a season has been from July 2010 to June 2011 and the least from July 1950 to June 1951.


Demographics

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, there were 4,041 people, 1,727 households, and 1,065 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 2,205 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 89.14%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.32%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 3.12% Native American, 1.09% Asian, 0.35%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 3.71% from other races, and 2.28% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 12.35% of the population. There were 1,727 households, out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.3% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.94. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.7% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 98 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96 males. The median income for a household in the city was $36,408, and the median income for a family was $42,168. Males had a median income of $36,016 versus $26,597 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $17,013. About 11% of families and 12% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 12% of those under age 18 and 9% of those aged 65 or over.


Economy


Tourism

Ely is a tourism center, and is home of the Nevada Northern Railway Museum. The railroad museum features the Ghost Train of Old Ely, a working steam-engine passenger train that travels the historic tracks from Ely to the Robinson mining district. Ely is the nearest city to the proposed site of the Clock of the Long Now on Mount Washington. The historic six-story Hotel Nevada and Gambling Hall is in downtown Ely. Opened in 1929, it was the tallest building in Nevada until 1931 and was the state's first fire-proof building. It is a popular lodging, dining, gaming, and tourist stop. The long stretch of road on State Route 318 near Ely is known for the annual Silver State Classic Challenge course, an authorized time-trial Cannonball Run-style race that attracts entries from all over the world. The Ely Renaissance Society is responsible for more than 20 outdoor murals and sculptures in the downtown area. Artists from all over the world have been commissioned to create images of area history, using different art styles. They also maintain a historical village consisting of a general store and several shotgun houses which display the history of the people that came to the area to work for the railroad and the mine. Ely is also home to regional offices of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, and Nevada Department of Wildlife.


Outdoors and recreation

Nearby are Great Basin National Park, Cave Lake State Park, the Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park, and the state parks of Lincoln County, Nevada. Ely was the host of the 2016 National Speleological Society's annual convention. The
Bureau of Land Management The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior responsible for administering federal lands, U.S. federal lands. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the BLM oversees more than of land, or one ...
, operates an area supporting an elk herd south of town. The Ely Elk Viewing Area offers visitors the opportunity to see an elk community up close.


Mining

Starting in 1867, iron-rich gossans were mined for precious metals in Lane Valley west of Ely. The Aultman and Saxton Mines were operating by the 1870s. The Chainman Mine was developed by the 1890s and became the most productive in the area. Starting in 1903, copper was mined by the Giroux Consolidated Mining Company and by the Nevada Consolidated Copper Company in 1904. In 1913, Consolidated Copper Mines Company took over Giroux. In 1936, Fulton and Smith first described
magnesite Magnesite is a mineral with the chemical formula ( magnesium carbonate). Iron, manganese, cobalt, and nickel may occur as admixtures, but only in small amounts. Occurrence Magnesite occurs as veins in and an alteration product of ultramafic r ...
, yet by 1942, when deposits were first studied no magnesite mining existed. In 1943, Kennecott Copper Corporation took over Nevada Consolidated and by 1958 had consolidated all of the properties in the district. KGHM International Ltd. owns a large copper mine, formerly owned by Quadra FNX, employing 510 people near Ely. The Joana Mine in Robinson Canyon, 2 miles North of Ely, has exposed a limestone geologic formation named the Joana Limestone after the mine.


Sports

From 2006 through 2014, the UNLV Rebels football team of the
University of Nevada, Las Vegas The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Paradise, Nevada, United States. The campus is about east of the Las Vegas Strip. It was formerly part of the ...
held training camp in Ely.


Infrastructure


Air

Commercial air service was available at Ely Airport until March 31, 2013. In 2011, the Ely Airport was frequently cited as one of the rural airports receiving federal subsidies through the
Essential Air Service Essential Air Service (EAS) is a U.S. government program enacted to guarantee that small communities in the United States, which had been served by certificated airlines prior to deregulation in 1978, maintain commercial service. Its aim is ...
program.


Roads

* U.S. Route 6 *
U.S. Route 50 U.S. Route 50 or U.S. Highway 50 (US 50) is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching from Interstate 80 (I-80) in West Sacramento, California, to Maryland Route 528 (MD 528) in Ocean City, Maryland, on the Atlantic ...
(Ely is the eastern end of the portion of U.S. Route 50 known as "The Loneliest Road in America") * U.S. Route 93 The historic Lincoln Highway, the first road across
America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, went through Ely, entering town from the north on U.S. Route 93 and departing town to the west on U.S. Route 50. Ely is home to the most isolated charging station in the United States.


Education

Ely has a
public library A public library is a library, most often a lending library, that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil servic ...
, a branch of the White Pine County Library. Ely is part of the White Pine County School District.


Media

Ely's local newspaper is ''The Bristlecone Tribune''. Ely has two local radio stations: KDSS (92.7 FM) White Pine Counties ONLY Music station, and KELY (1230 AM). KELY is heard across much of rural Nevada as the flagship of the Nevada Talk Network.


Notable people

* Helen Delich Bentley - born to Yugoslavian parents and graduating from Ely High School, she was appointed by Richard Nixon to lead the Federal Maritime Regulatory Agency in 1969. She served as a representative for Maryland in the US Congress from 1985 to 1995. * Albert J. Carpenter (9 June 1911 - 21 June 1999), officer in the
United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and Admiralty law, law enforcement military branch, service branch of the armed forces of the United States. It is one of the country's eight Uniformed services ...
from 1933 to 1968 * Patricia Nixon - Former first lady of the United States was born in Ely. Her father was a miner in the area and the family left when Patricia was two years old. Pat and her husband Richard Nixon visited the area during his 1952 vice-presidential campaign.


In popular culture

* '' Operation Haylift'' (1950), by director William A. Berke, is about a historical event that took place in White Pine County. * '' Lust for Freedom'' (1987), a film directed by Eric Louzil. * '' Once Upon a Texas Train'' (1988), a television film directed by
Burt Kennedy Burton Raphael Kennedy (September 3, 1922 – February 15, 2001) was an American screenwriter and film director, director known mainly for directing Westerns. Budd Boetticher called him "the best Western writer ever." Biography Kennedy was b ...
. * '' Roadside Prophets'' (1992), an independent film directed by Abbe Wool. * '' Guncrazy'' (1992), a film directed by Tamra Davis and starring Drew Barrymore. * '' Rat Race'' (2001), a film directed by Jerry Zucker, with its climactic scene shot in and around the restored train depot of the railway museum. * "Laying Low in Eli, Nevada" (2005), a song performed by David Dondero for his '' South of the South'' album. * '' My Blueberry Nights'' (2007), a film directed by Wong Kar-wai. * "Ely Nevada" (2008), a song performed by Ry Cooder for the ''My Blueberry Nights'' soundtrack. * '' Play Dead'' (2009), a film directed by Jason Wiles. * '' Horror in the High Desert'' (2021), based and filmed in the Ely area.


See also

* Northern Hotel


References


External links


City of Ely, Nevada

Ely, Nevada website – White Pine Tourism and Recreation Board

Official State of Nevada Tourism Site

Exploring Nevada – Photographs of Ely and Surrounding Area

Discoverely.com Ely-related website for travelers and visitors – with HD video.
* Road Trip US

about Ely {{authority control Cities in White Pine County, Nevada County seats in Nevada Pony Express stations 1878 establishments in Utah Territory Cities in Nevada Populated places established in 1878