Tonopah, Nevada Attractions, Part 2 The International Car Forest Misc. Goldmine, Nevada -

The International Car Forest of the Last Church is actually an attraction in Goldfield, not Tonopah. But it is a quick 25 mile drive. The collection of automobiles strewn about the desert landscape is a striking visual thought up by artists Chad Sorg and Mark Rippie and has nothing to do with religion. And after I admitted a co-pilot would be helpful the prior evening, the Universe sent me an activity partner, stumbled upon serendipitously at The Clown Motel. We would tour the town in the day and the evening, hence my being able to be in pictures! Stay tuned for this same location in the evening… all in a day’s work on the magical road.

As the namesake hints, Goldfield was a Gold Rush Boomtown, an opportunistic, quick development proximal to an area gold prospectors flooded. In 1904, followed by a big gold strike, it became the most populated city in Nevada. With a reported collective yield reaching $86 million, the mines were–literal gold mines. (Please note the correct usage of “literal.” Its misuse is a pet peeve of mine.) Gold: finite. So they began to decline in 1910 and a good portion of the gold-crazed populus fled to the next boomtown. The 1,500 that stuck around were chased out by natural forces–a devastating fire and flooding. Though it is not really a ghost town currently, as there are still some residents, historic and abandoned structures are about. I was lucky to get to meet some of its colorful characters on my quick stay. The place left a great impression on how different ways of life, those free from the rat race, can thrive with character, authenticity and the creative spirit.

We went to the Old Pioneer Cemetery to find a very odd headstone. Not this one. This is an Unknown. So sad that there were so many.