Location: About 11 miles southeast of Dayton, NV on a very rocky road that winds up the mountain. GPS: 39º 10.88' x 119º 31.76' (rock building foundation). Huxley Mine GPS location: 39º 09.91' x 119º 30.03' (cyanide tank).
Gold was discovered near here in June of 1860. The first name given to the camp located on top of the Pine Nut Mountains, was Palmyra from Syrian antiquity. About 100 miners worked the area that year but most had left by 1861 for greener pastures.
By 1862, the district got a post office and the population had grown to about 400 hardy souls. During this time, a new ledge of gold ore was located in a cave about 1/2 mile east and gradually a new camp formed there. The new camp was called Como and Palmyra was gradually abandoned.
J. D. Winters, a rancher turned politician, tried to develop several ledges and even built a small steam powered mill but the ore was not rich enough to cover the costs of operation and was shut down by the end of 1864. Later, Winters would become the boss of the Comstock's Yellow Jacket mine.
The camp continued its up and down existence for many years. At one point the camp consisted of several saloons, the Cross Hotel, a weekly newspaper called The Sentinel, and the post office.
The district had several revivals including the building of a large mill in the 1930's that was quickly abandoned when it was pointed out that there was no ore to run through the mill. A boondoggle to be sure. Much of the surrounding mountains were stripped of trees to feed the mills and support the general mining operations but now most of the hillsides are once again covered with the small pinon trees.
Today there are still several reminders of the mining on this mountain top including stone walls of a building or two. Foundations from at least one of the mills (1930's operation?) are one of the dominant reminders of this mining area. Small prospect holes and some dumps can still be found in the vicinity of Palmyra.
A newer mining operation is located approximately 1.5 to 2 miles below the site of Como. This mining operation was quite extensive. There are remnants of shafts, a mill, cyanide processing and several small wooden buildings. It is located at a spring that fills a small holding pond before making its way down the mountains. The mine is named the Hultey-Logan Mine on the DeLorme map atlas Nevada Atlas and Gazetteer.
In the winter, this camp can be snowed-in but spring through fall are great times to visit. The road is extremely rocky out of Dayton and should only be driven by vehicles with high clearance.
References: Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps by Stanley W. Paher
Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps Ilustrated Atlas by Stanley W. Paher