Battle Mountain, Nevada
Encyclopedia
Battle Mountain is an unincorporated community and census-designated place
in Lander County
, Nevada
, United States
. The population was 2,871 at the 2000 census. Though it has no legal status as a municipality, it still functions as the county seat
of Lander County
. Its primary economic base is gold mining and to a lesser extent, legalized gaming.
The town is located on Interstate 80
between Winnemucca
and Elko
.
peoples. The area was noted by fur trappers in the 1820s and 30s. It served as a waypoint for westward bound travel on the emigrant trail
along the Humboldt River
by 1845. According to local legends the name stems from confrontations between native Americans
and early settlers during the 1850s and 60s.
When copper
ore was discovered in 1866 and mining began, the Central Pacific Railroad
started a station to support the mining activity and in 1870 moved the Argenta station to Battle Mountain and established a townsite to serve the Battle Mountain copper and gold mining district.
In 1874, the Nevada Legislature
overrode the Governor’s veto and approved a railroad from Austin to Battle Mountain. The Nevada Central Railroad
from Battle Mountain to Austin
, Nevada was completed in 1880. The rail line was constructed to connect the silver mines around Austin to the Central Pacific line at Battle Mountain. The rail line served the Austin area until it was abandoned in 1938.
Ulysses S. Grant
spoke in the town in 1879 during his western speaking tour.
President Woodrow Wilson
established Battle Mountain Indian Colony by executive order (Lander) in 1917.
In 1919, Nevada's Red Scare Miners held a ten-day strike at Battle Mountain Copper Mines.
In a 1979 ruling, the Nevada Supreme Court moved the Lander County seat to Battle Mountain.
Chiefs Frank Temoke and Frank Brady refused the government's offer of a payoff under the Treaty of Ruby Valley 1863
at Battle Mountain on December 11, 1992.
A 2008 earthquake
of 6.3 magnitude that hit Northeastern Nevada severely damaged one of the city's oldest historical buildings, The Lemaire Building, which was condemned.
and the Reese
. The town is in the Humboldt valley between the Shoshone Range
to the southeast, Battle Mountain to the southwest and the Sheep Creek Range
across the Humboldt to the north.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the community has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²), all of it land.
Battle Mountain's climate is semi-arid (Köppen climate classification
BSk).
, approximately halfway between Reno, NV and Salt Lake City, Utah
.
Battle Mountain is the starting point of Nevada State Route 305
which heads southward to Austin, Nevada
.
The Union Pacific Railroad
line runs through Battle Mountain.
The historic narrow-gauge Nevada Central Railroad
line ran from Battle Mountain to Austin (long defunct).
of 2000, there were 2,871 people, 1,053 households, and 731 families residing in the community. The population density
was 1,588.3 people per square mile (612.4/km²). There were 1,455 housing units at an average density of 804.9 per square mile (310.4/km²). The racial makeup of the community was 81.30% White, 0.14% African American, 2.54% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 11.81% from other races
, and 3.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.58% of the population.
There were 1,053 households out of which 41.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% were married couples
living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.28.
The population is spread out with 33.8% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 6.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 104.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.4 males.
The median income for a household in the community was $42,981, and the median income for a family was $50,995. Males had a median income of $45,313 versus $25,417 for females. The per capita income
for the community was $16,975. About 7.8% of families and 11.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.1% of those under age 18 and 20.0% of those age 65 or over.
During 2009, a Canadian man and a French woman set world bicycle speed records at the annual event in northeastern Nevada. Sam Whittingham and Barbara Buatois pedaled recumbent bikes to the records on Nevada Route 305 near Battle Mountain, about 220 miles (354.1 km) northeast of Reno. The 32-year-old Buatois' speed of 75.46 mi/h Friday night broke the women's record, set in 2005, by 8.8 mi/h.
The 37-year-old Whittingham's speed of 82.4 mi/h Tuesday eclipsed the men's record he set last year by 0.1 mi/h.
Also annually held on the same stretch of road is the 'Pony Express', an open road event from Battle Mountain to Austin and back again. This make the longest open road race in the country, averaging a total of 130 miles (209.2 km). This race consists of cars from the 60's era muscle cars to the most modern European sports cars.
2001: The Washington Post crowns Battle Mountain with the title of "Armpit of America". Old Spice was quick to capitalize on this media attention and the company sponsored the town's 1st annual "Armpit Festival".
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
in Lander County
Lander County, Nevada
Lander County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2000 census, the population was 5,794. Its county seat is Battle Mountain.-History:...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 2,871 at the 2000 census. Though it has no legal status as a municipality, it still functions as the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Lander County
Lander County, Nevada
Lander County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2000 census, the population was 5,794. Its county seat is Battle Mountain.-History:...
. Its primary economic base is gold mining and to a lesser extent, legalized gaming.
The town is located on Interstate 80
Interstate 80
Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...
between Winnemucca
Winnemucca, Nevada
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,174 people, 2,736 households, and 1,824 families residing in the city. The population density was 867.5 people per square mile . There were 3,280 housing units at an average density of 396.6 per square mile...
and Elko
Elko, Nevada
Elko is a city in Elko County, Nevada, United States. The population was 18,297 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Elko County. The city straddles the Humboldt River....
.
History
The Battle Mountain area was home to the Northern Paiute and ShoshoneShoshone
The Shoshone or Shoshoni are a Native American tribe in the United States with three large divisions: the Northern, the Western and the Eastern....
peoples. The area was noted by fur trappers in the 1820s and 30s. It served as a waypoint for westward bound travel on the emigrant trail
Emigrant Trail
The Emigrant Trails were the northern networks of overland wagon trails throughout the American West, used by emigrants from the eastern United States to settle lands west of the Interior Plains during the overland migrations of the mid-19th century...
along the Humboldt River
Humboldt River
The Humboldt River runs through northern Nevada in the western United States. At approximately long it is the second longest river in the Great Basin, after the Bear River. It has no outlet to the ocean, but instead empties into the Humboldt Sink...
by 1845. According to local legends the name stems from confrontations between native Americans
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
and early settlers during the 1850s and 60s.
When copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
ore was discovered in 1866 and mining began, the Central Pacific Railroad
Central Pacific Railroad
The Central Pacific Railroad is the former name of the railroad network built between California and Utah, USA that formed part of the "First Transcontinental Railroad" in North America. It is now part of the Union Pacific Railroad. Many 19th century national proposals to build a transcontinental...
started a station to support the mining activity and in 1870 moved the Argenta station to Battle Mountain and established a townsite to serve the Battle Mountain copper and gold mining district.
In 1874, the Nevada Legislature
Nevada Legislature
The Nevada Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Legislature is a bicameral body, consisting of the lower house Nevada Assembly, with 42 members, and the upper house Nevada Senate, with 21 members. All 63 members of the Legislature are elected from an equal amount of...
overrode the Governor’s veto and approved a railroad from Austin to Battle Mountain. The Nevada Central Railroad
Nevada Central Railroad
The Nevada Central Railroad was a narrow gauge railroad, completed in 1880 between Battle Mountain and Austin, Nevada. The railroad was constructed to connect Austin, the center of a rich silver mining area, with the transcontinental railroad at Battle Mountain.However, by the time that the line...
from Battle Mountain to Austin
Austin, Nevada
Austin is a small, unincorporated community located in Lander County, Nevada, in the United States. As of 2004, its population is approximately 340. It is located on the western slopes of the Toiyabe Range at an elevation of . U.S...
, Nevada was completed in 1880. The rail line was constructed to connect the silver mines around Austin to the Central Pacific line at Battle Mountain. The rail line served the Austin area until it was abandoned in 1938.
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
spoke in the town in 1879 during his western speaking tour.
President Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
established Battle Mountain Indian Colony by executive order (Lander) in 1917.
In 1919, Nevada's Red Scare Miners held a ten-day strike at Battle Mountain Copper Mines.
In a 1979 ruling, the Nevada Supreme Court moved the Lander County seat to Battle Mountain.
Chiefs Frank Temoke and Frank Brady refused the government's offer of a payoff under the Treaty of Ruby Valley 1863
Treaty of Ruby Valley 1863
The Treaty of Ruby Valley was a treaty signed in 1863, giving certain rights to the United States in the Nevada Territory. The treaty was signed by Numaga , a minor Paiute head man, in August 1863. As late as December 1992, Western Shoshone were still disputing the terms of this treaty with...
at Battle Mountain on December 11, 1992.
A 2008 earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
of 6.3 magnitude that hit Northeastern Nevada severely damaged one of the city's oldest historical buildings, The Lemaire Building, which was condemned.
Geography and climate
Battle Mountain is located at the confluence of two rivers, the HumboldtHumboldt River
The Humboldt River runs through northern Nevada in the western United States. At approximately long it is the second longest river in the Great Basin, after the Bear River. It has no outlet to the ocean, but instead empties into the Humboldt Sink...
and the Reese
Reese River
The Reese River is a tributary of the Humboldt River, located in central Nevada in the western United States. It rises in the southern section of the Toiyabe Range, on the flanks of Arc Dome...
. The town is in the Humboldt valley between the Shoshone Range
Shoshone Range
in Nye County.The Shoshone Range is a mountain range in Lander County, Nevada.The Humboldt River and valley are on the northern perimeter of the range....
to the southeast, Battle Mountain to the southwest and the Sheep Creek Range
Sheep Creek Range
The Sheep Creek Range is a mountain range in Lander County, Nevada. It is the site of a doppler radar station....
across the Humboldt to the north.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the community has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²), all of it land.
Battle Mountain's climate is semi-arid (Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
BSk).
Transportation
Battle Mountain is located along Interstate 80Interstate 80
Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...
, approximately halfway between Reno, NV and Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
.
Battle Mountain is the starting point of Nevada State Route 305
Nevada State Route 305
State Route 305 is a state highway in Lander County, Nevada. It is the only state highway to connect the southern and northern areas of the county. It runs north from U.S. Route 50 at Austin to Battle Mountain, where it crosses Interstate 80 and ends at State Route 304.-Route description:State...
which heads southward to Austin, Nevada
Austin, Nevada
Austin is a small, unincorporated community located in Lander County, Nevada, in the United States. As of 2004, its population is approximately 340. It is located on the western slopes of the Toiyabe Range at an elevation of . U.S...
.
The Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
line runs through Battle Mountain.
The historic narrow-gauge Nevada Central Railroad
Nevada Central Railroad
The Nevada Central Railroad was a narrow gauge railroad, completed in 1880 between Battle Mountain and Austin, Nevada. The railroad was constructed to connect Austin, the center of a rich silver mining area, with the transcontinental railroad at Battle Mountain.However, by the time that the line...
line ran from Battle Mountain to Austin (long defunct).
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,871 people, 1,053 households, and 731 families residing in the community. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,588.3 people per square mile (612.4/km²). There were 1,455 housing units at an average density of 804.9 per square mile (310.4/km²). The racial makeup of the community was 81.30% White, 0.14% African American, 2.54% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 11.81% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.58% of the population.
There were 1,053 households out of which 41.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.28.
The population is spread out with 33.8% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 6.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 104.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.4 males.
The median income for a household in the community was $42,981, and the median income for a family was $50,995. Males had a median income of $45,313 versus $25,417 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the community was $16,975. About 7.8% of families and 11.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.1% of those under age 18 and 20.0% of those age 65 or over.
Sports
Among human-powered vehicle enthusiasts, Battle Mountain is famous for hosting annual bike races on a long, straight, flat stretch of Highway 305 just outside of town. Pedaling a streamlined two-wheeler at 83 mph (133.6 km/h) over a 200 meter distance in 2002, Sam Whittingham established himself as "the fastest man alive". This event is known as the 'World Human Powered Speed Challenge'http://www.wisil.recumbents.com/home.asp?URL=wisil/main.asp On September 18, 2008, Sam established a new record of 82.33 mi/h, thereby winning the .decimach prize for going one tenth the speed of sound (with adjustments for slope and altitude).During 2009, a Canadian man and a French woman set world bicycle speed records at the annual event in northeastern Nevada. Sam Whittingham and Barbara Buatois pedaled recumbent bikes to the records on Nevada Route 305 near Battle Mountain, about 220 miles (354.1 km) northeast of Reno. The 32-year-old Buatois' speed of 75.46 mi/h Friday night broke the women's record, set in 2005, by 8.8 mi/h.
The 37-year-old Whittingham's speed of 82.4 mi/h Tuesday eclipsed the men's record he set last year by 0.1 mi/h.
Also annually held on the same stretch of road is the 'Pony Express', an open road event from Battle Mountain to Austin and back again. This make the longest open road race in the country, averaging a total of 130 miles (209.2 km). This race consists of cars from the 60's era muscle cars to the most modern European sports cars.
Notable residents
- Joyce CollinsJoyce CollinsJoyce Collins was a jazz pianist, singer and educator. Born 5 May 1930, Battle Mountain, Nevada, USA; died 2010.Collins began playing piano professionally at the age of 15 while still attending Reno High School in Nevada...
- Jazz pianist, singer, and educator. - The Dann Sisters (Carrie and Mary Dann) - (Crescent Valley) Western Shoshone Activists for cultural and spiritual rights and land rights.
- James H. LedlieJames H. LedlieJames Hewett Ledlie was a civil engineer for American railroads and a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He is best known for his dereliction of duty at the Battle of the Crater during the Siege of Petersburg.-Early life:Ledlie was born in Utica, New York...
- Union officer in the Civil War whom Ulysses S. GrantUlysses S. GrantUlysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
called, "the greatest coward of the war." - Jeannette WallsJeannette WallsJeannette Walls is a writer and journalist widely known as former gossip columnist for MSNBC.com — and author of The Glass Castle, a memoir of the nomadic family life of her childhood, which stayed on the New York Times Best Seller list for 100 weeks.-Early life and education:Walls was born...
– Author of The Glass CastleThe Glass CastleThe Glass Castle is a 2005 memoir by Jeannette Walls. The book recounts her and her siblings' unconventional, poverty-stricken upbringing at the hands of their deeply dysfunctional parents....
, of which a portion takes place in Battle Mountain, and former gossip columnist for MSNBC.com
National recognition
On January 2, 2009 The New York Times released an article entitled "A Nevada Town Escapes the Slump, Thanks to Gold". The article regards the national economic depression and discusses Battle Mountain's economy.2001: The Washington Post crowns Battle Mountain with the title of "Armpit of America". Old Spice was quick to capitalize on this media attention and the company sponsored the town's 1st annual "Armpit Festival".
External links
- Complete Battle Mountain information with Photo Gallery
- Battle Mountain history and description
- Battle Mountain Chamber of Commerce
- Lander County
- Battle Mountain Branch Library
- Battle Mountain Bugle
- Battle Mountain Arts
- Pony Express 130
- Weingarten, Gene. "Why Not the Worst?" Washington Post Magazine, 2 December 2001.
- Battle Mountain Human-Powered Vehicle Race Site
- A Nevada Town Escapes the Slump, Thanks to Gold
- Nevada Central Narrow Gauge