Sunday, July 13, 2008 (SF Chronicle)
Restored Nevada mining town rich with history
Jay Jones, Special to The Chronicle


   (07-13) 04:00 PDT Gold Point, Nev. -- Given the passage of time since the
miners moved on and the extremes of nature began to take their toll, Gold
Point shouldn't even exist anymore. Like so many Western mining
communities that went from boom to bust in the blink of an eye, this
should be just another ghost town, the odd pieces of worn timber and
rusted pails the only remnants of its heyday.
   The ghosts, however, have been banished from Gold Point. They've been
replaced by travelers in search of history and adventure, travelers
willing to step off the normal tourist grid and back in time.
   Thanks to the efforts of a wallpaper hanger from Las Vegas - who bought
and then restored many of the old buildings on the verge of collapse -
visitors are able to get a feel for what life must have been like 100
years ago, when dirt-crusted prospectors bellied up to the bar for a glass
of whiskey before crossing the dusty street to satisfy a different urge at
the bordello. The truly adventurous can even opt to spend the night in one
of the old shacks, most of which still lack running water.
   Why now? Banish those thoughts of scorching heat in the Nevada desert.
The
elevation at Gold Point is 5,400 feet, and the summertime highs are 15 to
20 degrees lower than in Vegas. While it may be in the upper 80s or low
90s, it truly is a dry heat. The town's all gussied-up right now, having
just celebrated its centennial a few weeks ago.
   The back story: Herb Robbins started prospecting as a kid growing up in
the Sierra Nevada foothills near Sacramento. He never found the mother
lode, but over the years, he stumbled across plenty of old mining sites.
When he first laid eyes on Gold Point, he knew it had the potential to be
saved from the ravages of time, which had laid waste to so many other
towns.
   Robbins decided he wouldn't let that happen to Gold Point, so he bought
whatever he could and restored the buildings. In 1979, he bought his first
three parcels of land for $500 apiece.
   "As I purchased more (and) got more possessed by it, eventually there was
nothing more for sale," Robbins says. He now owns about 30 historic
buildings. "I lose count," he adds with a laugh.
   About 10 years ago, on a Friday night in Vegas, the wallpaperer hit a
jackpot - $222,636 - on a video poker machine. He poured a chunk of the
winnings into converting five of the old miner's shacks into lodging for
overnight visitors.
   Checking in: Don't expect to find an upscale B&B experience in Gold
Point.
Don't even expect it to rise to the level of a Motel 6. Folks don't spend
a Saturday night - the only night of the week that bed and breakfast is
offered - in Gold Point to luxuriate. Instead, they come to experience
what life might have been like in a rural mining community 100 years ago.
The cabins are spartan. Only one of the five has running water, including
a flush toilet and a bathtub. The others are equipped with chemical camp
toilets, with shower facilities a few steps away inside Herb's house.
   The cabins have electricity and TV/VCR combos, but be sure to bring some
videos with you, as there's no TV reception in these parts.
   Robbins likes to joke with his guests, asking them if the noise of the
truck traffic kept them awake during the night. In fact, there is no
traffic at all. Robbins says the only thing people hear during a starlight
stroll is "the electricity buzzing through the lines."
   Spend your day: Although he lives and works three hours away in Las
Vegas,
Robbins - the self-appointed sheriff of Gold Point - is in town virtually
every weekend. He and his girlfriend, Sandy Johnson (who lives full time
in Gold Point), are both history buffs who delight in showing off the
buildings they've fixed up. Visit the old post office - which now houses a
small museum - as you stroll around the handful of streets. Then, quench
your thirst with a drink or two in the magnificently restored saloon.
   Dining: There is just one choice in town: the dining room table inside
Herb and Sandy's house. She'll gladly fix up an all-you-can-eat supper of
meat and potatoes and a variety of side dishes. If there are leftovers,
they'll probably be shared as a packed lunch for the next day.
   Don't miss: Be sure to allow time to sit a spell, chatting with Herb, who
calls himself Sheriff Stone. He's the one with the badge on his leather
vest and the six-shooter on his belt. You're likely to find him at the
saloon, if he's not busy repairing a leaky roof. Having spent almost every
weekend in Gold Point for the past 29 years, Robbins is full of local
lore, which he's happy to share.
   Don't bother: If burning tobacco is a turnoff, give the saloon a miss.
The
locals and visiting cowboys like their smokes, just like in the old days.
   Word to the wise: Take time to head up into the hills west of town to
explore the old mining structures. But do not attempt to enter any of the
mineshafts, where subterranean dangers lurk. If you go GETTING THERE
   Gold Point is on some maps, but not on others. It's located just a few
miles off Nevada Highway 266, at the dead-end of Nevada Highway 774.
Highway 266 leads west to U.S. 395 at Big Pine in California and east to
U.S. 95 in Nevada. (There's a now-closed brothel - the Cottontail - at the
junction.) Allow about seven hours from the Bay Area; it's a beautiful
drive. WHERE TO STAY
   The old miner's shacks will sleep two to four people. The four without
running water cost $94 a night, which includes a full breakfast on Sunday
morning. The one with a toilet and a tub runs $134. (775) 482-4653 or
e-mail sheriffstone@goldpointghosttown.com.
   City slickers desiring more creature comforts might want to consider
spending the night in Tonopah, Nev., (about an hour to the north) or in
Big Pine in Inyo County (about an hour to the west). Visit
www.tonopahnevada.com or www.bigpine.com for a list of lodging options.
WHERE TO EAT
   In Gold Point, Saturday evening dinner with Herb and Sandy costs $17 per
person. Reservations are necessary, to ensure Sandy has enough food on
hand. Call her at (775) 482-4653.
   Day trippers will find other options in the towns that dot both U.S. 395
in California and U.S. 95 in Nevada. WHAT TO DO
   After exploring the lovingly restored old buildings, there's little else
to see. So, do what the handful of locals do and set a spell at the
saloon, soaking up the atmosphere of life in the rural West - in the town
Herb Robbins rescued from extinction.

   Jay Jones last wrote for Travel about Las Vegas' gay and lesbian scene.
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