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Quiz about Tonopah Queen of the Silver Camps
Quiz about Tonopah Queen of the Silver Camps

Tonopah, Queen of the Silver Camps Quiz

Time to learn about Tonopah, one of the richest silver producers in Nevada History.

A multiple-choice quiz by ghosttowner. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
ghosttowner
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
309,640
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
5 / 10
Plays
379
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Question 1 of 10
1. Who discovered silver at the future site of Tonopah in May of 1900? Hint


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Question 2 of 10
2. The local newspaper, the "Tonopah Times-Bonanza", began publication in 1901 and has continued publication ever since. Who was the original owner of the paper? Hint


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Question 3 of 10
3. Which mine produced the most gold and silver? Hint


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Question 4 of 10
4. Which fading silver camp surrendered the county seat to Tonopah in May 1905? Hint


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Question 5 of 10
5. What famous lawman opened the Northern Saloon on Main Street in 1902 and lived there for two years? Hint


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Question 6 of 10
6. Tonopah has a long association with the military. Local residents were occasionally surprised by a strange aircraft that would appear over the town. What revolutionary super secret aircraft was designed, tested, and hidden on the U.S. Government's nearby base? Hint


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Question 7 of 10
7. At a depth of 2,200', this mine was the deepest of any of the major mines. Hint


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Question 8 of 10
8. Howard Hughes played a large role in Tonopah's history during the 1950s and 1960s. He married his second wife, Jean Peters, here in 1957. In what motel were they married? Hint


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Question 9 of 10
9. Which boxer was rumored to have been a bouncer at the Mizpah Hotel? Hint


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Question 10 of 10
10. On February 28, 1911, tragedy struck when a fire burned in the Tonopah Belmont Mine. Eleven men died. What was the name of the brave miner who made four trips down the shaft to pull men out before succumbing to the fumes? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Who discovered silver at the future site of Tonopah in May of 1900?

Answer: Jim Butler

 Jim Butler made the discovery but an assayer told him the ore was worthless. Fortunately, his future partner, Tasker Oddie, took them to a different assayer and the ore was worth $600 a ton. The rush was on!
2. The local newspaper, the "Tonopah Times-Bonanza", began publication in 1901 and has continued publication ever since. Who was the original owner of the paper?

Answer: W. W. Booth

 Booth continued running the paper until 1929 when he sold it to Frank Garside.
3. Which mine produced the most gold and silver?

Answer: Mizpah

 Tonopah's mines produced more than $150 million, primarily in silver, from 1900 to 1948. And that was its value when silver was around 10 cents an ounce!
4. Which fading silver camp surrendered the county seat to Tonopah in May 1905?

Answer: Belmont

 Belmont boomed from the 1860s until the 1890s, but by time Tonopah became the county seat, only a handful of people were left. Ione was the first county seat. Goldfield is the county seat of neighboring Esmeralda County and Pahrump is the largest city in Nye County.
5. What famous lawman opened the Northern Saloon on Main Street in 1902 and lived there for two years?

Answer: Wyatt Earp

 Wyatt Earp was drawn by the silver rush to Tonopah and went there to open a business and do some mining. His brother, Virgil, accompanied him and served for a short while as a Deputy in nearby Goldfield but died after a couple of months. Wyatt then headed for Alaska.
6. Tonopah has a long association with the military. Local residents were occasionally surprised by a strange aircraft that would appear over the town. What revolutionary super secret aircraft was designed, tested, and hidden on the U.S. Government's nearby base?

Answer: Stealth Fighter

 Tonopah was the original home of the Stealth Figher program. Local residents were so good at keeping the secret that the town received a letter of commendation from the President of the United States. In the mid-1990s, the Stealth was moved to White Sands.
7. At a depth of 2,200', this mine was the deepest of any of the major mines.

Answer: Victor

 The mines at Tonopah were dry. The Victor was an exception. Drillers hit a hot spring at the 1900' level. As a result, large pumps were installed to get rid of the water. This was used to water a large farm below the town. Since the water was not usable for human consumption, the town's supply had to be piped from sixteen miles away.
8. Howard Hughes played a large role in Tonopah's history during the 1950s and 1960s. He married his second wife, Jean Peters, here in 1957. In what motel were they married?

Answer: L & L

 Contrary to a popular myth, they were not married in the Mizpah but rather in an apartment at the L & L Motel. Local residents made a strong effort to save the spot and use it as a tourist center but the efforts failed and the building was razed in 2005. Hughes owned most of Tonopah's mining property for many years but never actually did any mining.
9. Which boxer was rumored to have been a bouncer at the Mizpah Hotel?

Answer: Jack Dempsey

 Dempsey did in fact spend some time in Tonopah but nothing exists to prove he worked as a bouncer. He had fights here and in Goldfield during 1915. There are photographs of him at the Mizpah but it is more likely they were taken when he was staying there.
10. On February 28, 1911, tragedy struck when a fire burned in the Tonopah Belmont Mine. Eleven men died. What was the name of the brave miner who made four trips down the shaft to pull men out before succumbing to the fumes?

Answer: Big Bill Murphy

 Murphy was the hero that day. All of the men were buried together in the old Tonopah Cemetery. He is immortalized in a statue in front of the Tonopah Post Office.
Source: Author ghosttowner

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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Referenced Topics
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