Searchlight, Nevada

 unincorporated area / community, interesting place, CDP - Census Designated Place

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Gold was discovered in this town in 1897 by G.F. Colton. By October 1898 a post office and camp were in place roughly 3/4 of a mile from the original site.

By winter of 1899 the population increased to a point that could call it self an official town. "A rush began during 1898 and the boom peaked in 1907, with a rumored population of 5000", with over a dozen saloons, a telephone exchange, and 44 working mines. "However the financial panic of 1907 permanently crippled the town. Only a handful of people were left by 1910 and only leasers worked the district", where low grade ores need more capital for continued mining. Total mining production gross was $7 million.

After many years of drifting off a new mill was built in 1934 but shutting down just after 1935 due to lack of ore.

The name is still a mystery where it came from there is much speculation about this. Some think it came from the name off a box of matches or, searchlights were once used to guide patrons into the brothels that were in area.

Famous now as the childhood home of Nevada Senator Harry Reid, the town still exists and boasts a nice museum. A number of older structures still remain.

Just as an addendum, Scott Joplin, the famed ragtime composer of "The Entertainer" and "The Maple Leaf Rag", wrote a "Searchlight Rag", which can be heard here: www.trachtman.org/ragtime/.

Two friends of his had gone prospecting there, and it seems that their stories so fired up the composer's creative juices that this piece of music was the result.
www.2steppin.com/srchlt.htm

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