Eureka, Nevada

Eureka
census-designated place
Eureka

Location in the state of Nevada

Coordinates: 39°30′42″N 115°57′42″W / 39.51167°N 115.96167°WCoordinates: 39°30′42″N 115°57′42″W / 39.51167°N 115.96167°W
Country United States
State Nevada
County Eureka
Elevation 6,500 ft (2,000 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 610
Time zone Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
 • Summer (DST) PDT (UTC-7)

Eureka is a census-designated place in and the county seat of Eureka County, Nevada, United States.[1] Eureka is by far the largest community in Eureka County. Attractions include the Eureka Opera House (built in 1880 and restored in 1993), Raine's Market and Wildlife Museum (built 1887), the Jackson House Hotel (built 1877), and the Eureka Sentinel Museum (housed in the 1879 Eureka Sentinel Newspaper Building).

Eureka is part of the Elko Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography and climate

Eureka is located at 39°30′42″N 115°57′42″W / 39.51159°N 115.961723°W,[2] in the southern part of Eureka County, at 6,481 feet (1,900 m) in the Diamond Mountains, in a draw on the southern end of Diamond Valley, between Antelope and Newark valleys. The population of Eureka CDP (census-designated place) is 610.[3] The total population of Eureka and the surrounding area (census tract 1 — Eureka CCD) is 1,373.[4]

The town is located along the Lincoln Highway / U.S. Route 50, nicknamed "The Loneliest Road in America": aptly named, as the nearest towns along the highway are Austin (71 mi or 114 km west) and Ely (77 mi or 124 km east). The nearest town is Duckwater, Nevada, 59 mi (95 km) south.

The climate is typical of the Great Basin: hot and dry in the summer with occasional monsoonal thunderstorms from late July through August; cold and relatively dry in the winter. Snow accumulations vary from 1 to 3 feet in mild winters to in excess of 8 feet (2.4 m) in more severe years; in the winter of 1907–1908, more than 10 feet of snow fell. Temperatures routinely drop to 0 °F (−18 °C) or lower in the winter.

Climate data for Eureka, Nevada (Elevation 6,500ft)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 61
(16)		 64
(18)		 75
(24)		 81
(27)		 91
(33)		 95
(35)		 98
(37)		 97
(36)		 90
(32)		 86
(30)		 72
(22)		 63
(17)		 98
(37)
Average high °F (°C) 38.3
(3.5)		 41.2
(5.1)		 48.3
(9.1)		 57.0
(13.9)		 66.0
(18.9)		 77.2
(25.1)		 86.4
(30.2)		 84.3
(29.1)		 74.9
(23.8)		 63.3
(17.4)		 48.8
(9.3)		 39.7
(4.3)		 60.4
(15.8)
Average low °F (°C) 17.1
(−8.3)		 19.2
(−7.1)		 23.9
(−4.5)		 28.9
(−1.7)		 36.4
(2.4)		 44.1
(6.7)		 53.0
(11.7)		 52.0
(11.1)		 43.8
(6.6)		 34.6
(1.4)		 24.5
(−4.2)		 18.3
(−7.6)		 33.0
(0.6)
Record low °F (°C) −26
(−32)		 −23
(−31)		 −9
(−23)		 5
(−15)		 10
(−12)		 11
(−12)		 29
(−2)		 30
(−1)		 5
(−15)		 3
(−16)		 −11
(−24)		 −21
(−29)		 −26
(−32)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 1.07
(27.2)		 1.05
(26.7)		 1.34
(34)		 1.34
(34)		 1.41
(35.8)		 0.83
(21.1)		 0.68
(17.3)		 0.78
(19.8)		 0.78
(19.8)		 0.89
(22.6)		 0.78
(19.8)		 0.89
(22.6)		 11.83
(300.5)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 9.4
(23.9)		 9.8
(24.9)		 10.2
(25.9)		 7.0
(17.8)		 3.6
(9.1)		 0.4
(1)		 0.1
(0.3)		 0
(0)		 0.6
(1.5)		 2.4
(6.1)		 6.1
(15.5)		 9.4
(23.9)		 58.9
(149.6)
Source: The Western Regional Climate Center[5]

History

The historic Jackson House Hotel, built 1877
The historic Richmond Mine, one of the two major lead-silver mines in Eureka

The town was first settled in 1864 by a group of silver prospectors from nearby Austin, who discovered rock containing a silver-lead ore on nearby Prospect Peak. The town became the county seat in 1873, when Eureka County was carved out of adjacent Lander, Elko, and White Pine counties.

Mining, especially for lead, was the town's economic mainstay,[6] as the nearby hillsides ranked as Nevada's second-richest mineral producer, behind western Nevada's Comstock Lode. Two of the largest concerns in Eureka were the Richmond Mining Company and the Eureka Mining Company. These two companies often collided, and in one instance, their litigation reached the U.S Supreme Court. The population boomed, reaching a high of 10,000 by 1878, but shrank as decreasing mine production and changing market conditions led to the closing of mines.

The External Link below to the Eureka Self-Guided Tour contains many modern and historical photographs of existing buildings, and historical tales of the area.

Public services

Eureka is served by an all Volunteer Fire Department, which provides fire protection, rescue, and vehicle rescue services for Eureka and the surrounding areas. In 2009 a new brick and steel fire house was built on Main Street in Eureka. At the time of its building it was the second largest fire house in the State of Nevada. In addition to being a modern fire fighting facility, it contains a museum of Eureka fire department equipment and vehicles dating back to the 1870s. The fire-museum may be viewed through the large glass windows, or a tour may be taken by contacting a local fireman.

Eureka boasts three parks, a modern enclosed swimming facility, two baseball fields, a track, and football field.

The 1880s Eureka Opera House was re-modeled in recent times and regularly schedules performers.[7]

The 1876 Eureka Court House is both historic and modern. It stands as the functioning governmental and legal center of Eureka County.

Celebrations

July 4, Independence Day, is a huge celebration in Eureka. Every year the Eureka Volunteer Fire Department puts on a parade followed by street events, which close off the heart of Eureka to all but foot traffic from 9am to 2pm. At 9pm the Eureka Volunteer Fire Department puts on a fireworks display.

Sports

The Eureka County High School houses students in grades 7 - 12, and underwent an $8,000,000 renovation in 2006. The Eureka Elementary School houses students in grades Pre-school - 6th and is a modern facility built in 1996 at a cost of $17,500,000. The high school mascot is the Vandals, and school colors are green and gold. The school offers academic olympics, basketball, wrestling, football, baseball, softball, volleyball, and track.

Transportation

Notable people

Gallery

References

  1. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  2. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  3. ↑ "2010 Population Finder - NV - Eureka CDP". U.S. Census Bureau.
  4. ↑ "American FactFinder - Eureka CCD, Eureka County, Nevada". U.S. Census Bureau.
  5. ↑ "Seasonal Temperature and Precipitation Information". Western Regional Climate Center. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Eureka, Nevada". Western Mining History. Retrieved 2012-03-18.
  7. ↑ "Eureka Opera House". Eureka County, Nevada -- Official Home Page. Retrieved 2012-03-18.
  8. ↑ Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eureka, Nevada.