Shantytown
(Cave
City) (Cave Creek)
"A
group of soldiers from Fort Ruby named Cave Creek, when they discovered
a cave entrance at the creek head. After they made their discovery,
the soldiers rowed into the cave to explore, but the effort turned
disastrous when the boat capsized , and all but one of them drowned.
Further
exploration took place at Cave Creek a few years later, and the
"Great Organ" formation was discovered.
Because
of it proximity to Fort Ruby, a small camp had formed at Cave
Creek by 1867. Samuel Woodward and Michael Flynn operated a distillery
that produced whiskey called Old Commissary. This made Cave Creek
popular with soldiers. Woodward and Chester Griswold built a sawmill
and ran a restaurant and saloon, but these enterprises continued
to exist only while Fort Ruby was active.
Patronizing
Cave Creek's saloon was not the soldiers' only pastime. They combed
the mountains above Cave Creek and discovered silver ore. As a
result of this activity Cave City was formed, but the mines produced
little before they were abandoned in the 1870s.
Once
Fort Ruby closed, ranching was the only business venture being
pursued at Cave Creek. The Cave Creek Ranch and nearby marshlands
was sold to the government for the purpose of establishing the
Ruby
Lake Migratory Water Foul and Game Refuge. In addition, forty
acres were set aside for the fish hatchery to replace the closed
facility on Trout Creek. Elko County ran the Ruby Valley Fish
Hatchery until 1947, when it became a state and county entity,
stocking fingerlings in creeks and lakes throughout Nevada. The
state officially purchased the facility in 1963. On August 26,
1967, its name was changed to the Dr. Harry M. Gallagher Fish
Hatchery. At is peak, the hatchery produced over 200,000 pounds
of fingerlings a year. The facility continues to operate today
and is one of the most productive hatcheries in the state.
Remaining
buildings from the Cave Creek Ranch are now the base for the Ruby
Lake National Wildlife Refuge, one of the most popular recreation
sites in Elko County. The Cave Creek school, which served Southern
Ruby Valley for years until 1970s, still stands. A private cemetery
at Cave Creek contains a number of graves.
A
campground is nearby."
Our
thanks to ghost town & mining camp author Shawn Hall for this
bit of history on Shanty Town.
Be
sure to bring your fishing pole. The bass that come from the marshes
are some of the best around.
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to Elko County Main