Why Nevada has so many ghost towns

Nevada is home to over 600 ghost towns, many of which are the remnants of the gold rush era of the 1800s and 1900s. Some of these ghost towns are well-known, like Rhyolite, but others are just coordinates on a map — hidden like secrets to the true history of Nevada.

Vox video producer Dolly Li road tripped through northern Nevada to try and find some of these hidden ghost towns and learn about the real history behind the boom and bust cycles of mining in the state. Along the way, she stops by a town that many call a ghost town, but is still partially occupied by a dozen residents.

Through visiting a few abandoned mining towns and speaking to historians about the technology and infrastructure that made mining a key industry of the state, we piece together a rich and fascinating story of Nevada’s development.