Goldfield was founded in 1902 by the discovery of gold ore in the area. It even had such famous residents as Virgil and Wyatt Earp. Wyatt came to Goldfield first, and then sent for his brother Virgil because here he said, "money flows like wine." By the spring of 1904, Virgil arrived. He soon became the deputy sheriff (See the story of the Earp's and the shootout at the O.K. Coral on the Tombstone, Arizona page).
On July 8, 1905, Goldfield suffered its first major fire. It burnt down a few blocks of the business district. Toward the end of 1905, Virgil Earp contracted pneumonia and died. Soon after Wyatt left Nevada and headed for the Whipple Mountains of California. He mined there for several years. He died on January 13, 1929.
By 1906, Goldfield boasted a population of 30,000. This year it also produced $11 million dollars worth of gold. Goldfield was a bustling boomtown that had all of the modern conviences. It even had a bar so long it required 80 bartenders to serve all of the customers.
By 1912, the ore was diminishing. That year, production had dropped to $5 million dollars, a significant decrease compared to previous yaers. Those who realized the mines were giving out, left town. The population decline had now started. Eventually, it was a ghost town.
Today, there are many great buildings still standing. these include an old courthouse, school, garage, hotel, saloon, and many other old houses and buildings.
