Hello All. We returned earlier this week from our annual pilgrimage to Lake Mead Nevada and the “big boys” bus rally. I'll split the trip into two posts as the whole thing is way more than anybody would want to read through without visiting hours.
Weather in the desert at this time of year can be warm or windy or just plain cold. Fortunately this year it was in the mid 70’s with just a hint of a breeze----perfect.
Since I’ve posted pics of the lake from other trips I’ll skip on to the new stuff. From the LA area one can reach Lake Mead either by following I-15 east from Barstow Ca. and then heading south at the outskirts of Las Vegas or leave Barstow following I-40 east and heading north just before Needles. We’ve gone both ways and like the scenery better on I-40. This time we found a new route that sort of splits the distance between both main routes. We started out on I-15 and then a few miles east of Baker Ca headed south to the tiny town of Nipton Ca. population 200 or so and a count of 18 cats. From there you travel east to Searchlight Nevada and north to the lake.
I’ve copied a brief history of Nipton (author cited below) to capture the flavor of this small desert community.
TWENTIETH CENTURY CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF NIPTON, CA
1900 Gold is discovered in the Crescent District - New York Mountains near Crescent Peak, Nevada about 5 miles east of a small community at a wagon crossroads in Ivanpah Valley. The apex claim, given the name "Nippeno", is staked on Jan 1, 1900.(Nippeno Patent -U.S. Archives) The crossroads wagon community becomes known as Nippeno Camp, as the place where the miners live.
1904 Track laying crews on the new San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad pass through Nippeno in December heading east to rendezvous with west bound crew a few miles from Jean, Nevada. (Myrick 1963)
1905 The first train from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles runs on February 9 with Senator Wm. Clark aboard.
1905 - 1910 Original construction completed of Hotel Nipton. Mining boom days in Nippeno with active exploration and development in the Crescent District. (Smith-1981) Regular stage travel between Searchlight and Nippeno probably established in this period. Stage travel continues to be reported through 1926 (Hewett - 1956)
1910 Union Pacific Railroad System acquires the S.P.L.A.&S.L. line: changes the name Nippeno to Nipton - to avoid confusion with Nippomo, another stop on RR time tables. (Smith 1981)
1913 Harry Trehearne naturalized in the United States District Court at Las Vegas, NV on Dec. 9, certificate of naturalization No 123166 being issued to him. Born in Bristol, England on Oct. 31, 1885 and came to the United States about Feb. 17, 1906. (Nipton Patent - U. S. Archives)
1918 Roy Port of Ivanpah Valley reportedly stays in Hotel Nipton on a trip up from San Diego. Hotel was "old" at that time. (N. Huth -1981).
1922 Harry Trehearne becomes full time resident of Nipton on May 6, 1922. (1935 Homestead Entry No. 022952).
1922-24 Harry Trehearne leases railroad station site (20 acres) from Union Pacific R.R (inference based upon references to ground "leased from railroad" in 1935 Homestead Entry No. 022952).
1924 Original (wooden) store constructed by Harry Trehearne doing business under the trade name Nipton Mercantile Company; Trehearne also repairs Hotel Nipton for occupancy at an expenditure of $3,000.(1935 Homestead Entry No. 022952).
1928 Trehearne files original Settlement Claim on 320 acre enlarged homestead tract adjoining the "Railroad Station Grounds at Nipton, California". The Sacramento General Land Office designation of Serial 022952 is given to the Settlement Claim. Subsequent decision by the G.L.O. to reject the "enlarged homestead" is issued on March 7, 1930.
1929 Light Plant constructed at Nipton to provide electricity for the townsite. Equipped with 2 KOHLER 5kW generators.
1930-31 "Big John" Silvera, Deputy Sheriff of Searchlight completes work on "Garden of Mystery" in front of Hotel Nipton. (Smith 1981)
1930-33 School House built in Nipton. Made of concrete with galvanized steel roof, Harry Trehearne believed to be instrumental in this construction. Correspondence of the period indicates that Trehearne was the registered "Clerk" of the then established School District. Costs of construction are indicated as $18,000.
1934 Controversy over School House located on Settlement Claim No. 022952. Residents and voters from the Cima and Kelso precinct of S.B.Co. file protests with the U.S. Land Office regarding the inclusion of the lands underlying the school house within the Settlement Claim. Trehearne deeds school house land (100' by 200') to the Cima School District, Deed dated August 16, 1934.
1935 Second Homestead Entry No. 022952 filed in Sacramento by Harry Trehearne dated August 1 on 120 acre site known as Nipton, California.
1937-40 Under Trehearne direction, original water well dug by hand, in miners manner of sinking a shaft, to a depth of 550 feet below surface.
1940 Pump installed in water well: 8 gpm capacity
1940 President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Patent papers transferring title of Nipton site to Harry Trehearne on April 10, 1940.
1940 Spring (?) Harry Trehearne travels back to native England. On route, his ship Athenia is torpedoed. Trehearne survives and returns to Nipton. Photo shows H. T. with dislocated shoulder from incident. 1940-43 Store and Town Hall constructed taking several years due to many interruptions as a consequence of wartime shortages of materials.
1945 Trehearne constructs concrete block 2 bedroom home (Nippeno House) for his family including Ella, his wife and Roland, his stepson.
1949 Harry Trehearne dies on March 24 at age 63. 1953 Ella Mae Trehearne dies in her late 50's. 195? Union Pacific Railroad abandons station at Nipton. 195? School moved to new location in Mountain Pass.
1956-1984 Nipton property passes into the stewardship of six various owners.
1956 - 1958 Ted W. Bernhardt &; Alberta Bernhardt 1957 Quiet Title on school house land in favor of T.W. Bernhardt et.al. Cima School District fails to respond to quiet title action. '58 - '65 Lynn C. Snyder & Mary H. Snyder '65 - '73 Carl H. Winnefeld ~ Nancy J Winnefeld '73 - '78 Nancy J. Fetters '78 - '80 Richard Hill and Theresa Hill '80 - '84 William F Huth
1984 Freeman Family (d.b.a. Provident Corporation) takes possession of the Nipton town site under provisions of a lease with option to purchase.
1985 Escrow on purchase of Nipton town site closes in January. Freeman begins rehabilitation of deserted town site. Renovation of Hotel Nipton and reopening the store under the trade name of Nipton Trading Post receive first attention.
1985-1988 Gold Mining Boom days in Nipton with active mining and development of nearby Morning Star Mine, Coliseum Mine and Castle Mountain Venture (Hart Mining District). RV Park is activated under the trade name of Nipton Station to provide temporary residence for miners working in nearby mines. Nipton Station is full to capacity of itinerant miners and their families.
1986 Hotel Nipton, bed and breakfast inn opens for business in May. Nippeno House remodeling is completed in July to serve as primary residence for Gerald Freeman family.
1989 Nipton Trading Post becomes vendor for California State Lottery.
1991 East Mojave Subdivision completed involving the clearing of title and elimination of "railroad station grounds" parcel on San Bernardino County records.
1990-91 Nipton Trading Post is the largest sales volume location of lottery tickets in California.
1994 Nipton land parcels exempted from inclusion in Mojave National Preserve by Act of Congress, signed by President Bill Clinton on October 31, 1994.
1995 Planning begins for developing Nipton as tourism and art center.
1998 Construction of first prototype EcoLodge tented cabin to accommodate visitors to the Mojave Desert recreational resources. This EcoLodge is named The Pioneer.
2000 Construction completed of modified second prototype EcoLodge to be named The Surveyor. Information obtained regarding S.D Karns circa 1900 arrival, and his activities in establishing Nipton (Nippeno Camp) as a California place name.
2002 EcoLodge prototype further modified following design features of the 1920’s Frank Lloyd Wright “Ocotillo” campsite at Arizona. Contemporary innovations include screened windows, wood burning stove for cooler weather and evaporative cooler for warm weather habitation.
2005 The Kelso Depot restoration completed by the National Park Service and the facility opened to the Public as the official Visitor Center for Mojave National Preserve. Nippeno Camp at Nipton now includes 4 EcoLodge tented cabins.
Compiled by Gerald Freeman in Nipton, December 2005
This is the front view of the 5 room hotel which is constructed of adobe.
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This is the view from the front porch showing one of the mile long, slow moving freight trains creeping by at 25 mph or so. In my mind I am able to imagine the sight and sound of the original steam locomotives that stopped here for water and a snack.
Another view of the hotel showing Honeysuckle Rose to the left. The picture was taken from the tracks.
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Whistle stop Cafe.
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Cats, cats and more cats!
And finally a glorious early moring view.