City of Widows

In 1889, gold was discovered in Monkeywrench Was, NV;, and the area became a mining town. In 1894, Joseph De Lamar (1843-1918) bought most of the mines and renamed the town Delamar. From 1895-1900, it was the primary ore producer in Nevada; by 1897, the population was about 3000. The gold was embedded in quartz, which creates a fine dust when crushed, and the miners often developed silicosis (lung disease), so the town became known as a widow-maker. The Delamar Mill closed in 1909, and the town became a ghost town.