UPDATE- The Treasure hunt is behind us now and it was a fun adventure into a once very productive gold and silver mining town. At its peak, about 600 people worked in the small town gradually pulling out $10MM in gold at then valuations so a lot of metals saw daylight. We visited the cemetery which couldn't help but beg the question of who these folks were and how did they lived. The ages were on most head stones and 67 was the oldest and 15 the youngest I saw. The site was the highest peak above the town overlooking the amazing agricultural Smith's Valley and town of Yerington. I had not seen this area before3 and it was so untypical of high desert imaginings…it was green and fertile like so many American rural countrysides. Very easy on the eye.
When visiting any historic site, one can't help but admire the toil that the population went through just to get to where the town is and to survive while there. In this case, they had good water sources, and likely plenty of game. The two or three structures that still stand were simple yet they did survive the 130 years since abandoned and the woord looked pretty good.
NOTE: Those who love the wild roller coasters would love the 5 mile drive into the gorger where the town was. It was recently washed out and barely drivable even by the capable 4x4s our group had.
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As a kid, I watched Jan Murray's show Treasure Hunt. It wasn't one of my favorites and way behind Queen for a Day, but who doesn't like treasure.
A friend who is an avide treasure hunter…think one of those guys on beach with headphones listening for signals of riches below…invited me to tag along to a Nevada Ghost Town called Pine Grove. It's been a ghost town for a long time and at its peak its population mined the area for silver and gold. When that more or less dried up, it began its “ghost” status. We have many such small towns in Nevada, maybe the most behind Texas and California. They come with folklore, interesting history and the promise and lure of treasures left behind and now protected by the spirits.
I'll give a report on any findings when back. And yes, found treasure is to be reported and taxed as income…sec 61 says ALL sources but apparently excludes bribes from Ukraine, China, Romania and others when given to high US Officials.
Have a great Sunday.
Best,
Donn Marier
DM-Your Own CFO