Clifton is a
ghost town
A ghost town, deserted city, extinct town, or abandoned city is an abandoned settlement, usually one that contains substantial visible remaining buildings and infrastructure such as roads. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economi ...
located in
Lander County, Nevada
Lander County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 5,734. Its county seat is Battle Mountain, Nevada, Battle Mountain.
History
Lander County was c ...
, just west of
Austin
Austin refers to:
Common meanings
* Austin, Texas, United States, a city
* Austin (given name), a list of people and fictional characters
* Austin (surname), a list of people and fictional characters
* Austin Motor Company, a British car manufac ...
. Clifton, named for the nearby cliffs, was established in 1862 when silver ore was found at the mouth of the Pony Canyon.
The Clifton post office was in operation from March 1863 to February 1864. In 1863, Clifton had about 500 inhabitants and many places of business, including a
Wells, Fargo & Co. Express Office. In 1863 a graded road to Austin was completed resulting in many of Clifton's residents and businesses moving to Austin. In January 1864, a petition was created to combine Clifton, Austin and Upper Austin into the "City of Austin." The Governor signed the bill in February 1864.
On July 18, 1863, William Cornell wounded several people in Austin with an axe and then killed 3 people in Clifton.
In 1880, the Austin City Railway was built. The 2.80 mile narrow gauge (3 foot) railway ran from Clifton to Austin. Previously, Clifton was the terminus of the
Nevada Central Railroad and freight was moved via wagon to Austin. Initially, the railway used 11 mules to pull one car. In 1881, an engine was ordered from
Baldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) was an American manufacturer of railway locomotives from 1825 to 1951. Originally located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, it moved to nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania, Eddystone in the early 20th century. The com ...
and named "Mules' Relief." In 1882, the engine derailed, killing one of the engineers. Sixteen mules were required to pull the engine back to the tracks.
References
{{Lander County, Nevada
Ghost towns in Lander County, Nevada
Ghost towns in Nevada