Novel Neighbor – Dana Bennett
In the southwest corner of Elko County and the heart of the Gold Circle Mining District, the small town of Midas has been nestled along the Midas Creek for nearly 120 years.
Gold was discovered in this area in June 1907, setting off a rush that soon reduced to a trickle. Booms came and went over the next 40 years – and along with them, people came and went. During its most productive periods, Midas had nearly 300 residents. By 1942, however, when the Federal Government shuttered precious metal mines across the country, Midas had begun to decline. After that, even with another mining boom in the late 1990s, the town’s population rarely exceeded a couple dozen, mostly retired folks.
The mining district is still called Gold Circle, the name it was given in the summer of 1907. Of the more than 50 mining districts in Elko County before 1953, Midas was the sixth largest producer with nearly $4 million in gold and silver. When mining returned to the district with the opening of the Ken Snyder Mine in 1998, along with a 700-ton mill (10 times the size of the mill that served the district in the 1930s), its first year of production exceeded all of the preceding 90 years combined. The Midas Mine continued to be a significant producer of both gold and silver well into the 21st century. In 2003, under Newmont’s management, the Midas Mine yielded 8.4 percent of Nevada’s total gold sales and was the state’s second largest silver producer behind the Rochester Mine in Pershing County. Currently owned by Hecla, the Midas Mine and Mill are in care and maintenance, but exploration continues nearby.
In late 1907, the Elko County Commission established the township as Gold Circle, but the U.S. Post Office had other ideas. It refused to allow another Nevada name that began with the word “gold,” so the town’s application was quickly amended to offer up additional choices, including “Mint” and “Porphyry.” Happily, the name “Midas” was chosen and soon became the primary moniker for the town. Both Midas and Gold Circle continue to be used interchangeably.
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the town and the mining district it anchors, a book about its history was published in 2007. Titled A Century of Enthusiasm, it contains numerous details and many photos about the town’s development during its first century. The author, Dana Bennett, attempted to include as many names of the town’s former residents as possible. You might find your relative mentioned within its pages! In the process, A Century of Enthusiasm discusses several elements of town life, such as the schools and their teachers, the many businesses that used to line Main Street, and the election of town officers. Of course, no Nevada town history is complete without a mention of murders committed and a nod to the red-light district. The history of Midas contains both.
Dana first came to Midas in 1969 on a family camping trip. Her family fell in love with the town and traveled more frequently from their home in Reno to spend time in Midas. In 1993, her parents retired to Midas full-time; Dana and her husband followed their lead after buying the family home in 2019.
The history of Midas had always interested Dana and her late father, Dan Bennett. Over the years, they worked diligently to interview former residents and collect historic photographs. All of it was invaluable when Dana set out to write a history book for the town’s centennial.
The book’s publisher was Friends of Midas, a fully qualified historic preservation nonprofit organization that had been organized in 1994 to restore the Midas Cemetery. It soon branched out into many different projects. To ensure that all proceeds from the sale of the book would benefit Friends of Midas, Newmont provided a grant that covered the costs of design and printing. The book’s fabulous designer was the late Nancy Peppin, a popular Nevada artist and designer of many wonderful Nevada history books.
With three degrees in history (including a mid-career PhD earned in 2011), Dana’s formal career was in Nevada’s public policy arena, and it often brought her to Elko County. For nearly 10 years as the Staff Director to the Nevada Legislative Committee on Public Lands, she worked closely with the late Senator Dean Rhoads of Tuscarora. She capped her career as the first woman hired to lead the Nevada Mining Association, serving as President for six years.
After retiring to Midas, Dana has been the President of Friends of Midas and also served a term as President of the Mining History Association. In the process, she has authored articles for the Northeastern Nevada Historical Society Quarterly and Mining The West. Every Memorial Day Weekend, Dana leads a walking tour of the Midas Cemetery. Last year began a new tradition with a “Murders & Mystery” walking tour on Nevada Day Weekend.
Most Nevada mining towns do not have books focused on their history. Midas is fortunate to be remembered in A Century of Enthusiasm, which details this 20th century mining town through the eyes and activities of the people who lived and worked in it. It vividly demonstrates that Elko County’s mining history is intertwined with community history.
Next year will be the 20th anniversary of the book and the 120th anniversary of Midas. Both are still going strong!
A Century of Enthusiasm can be purchased from the Elko Museum (1515 Idaho Street), the Midas Bighorn Saloon, or the Friends of Midas website (friendsofmidas.org).
FriendsofMidas@gmail.com