The small, friendly communities of Nevada’s Big Smoky Valley, which is centered right in the heart of the Silver State, are the embodiment of the American West. One of these rural communities is Round Mountain, a historic and present day mining town with quite a past.

Gold was discovered here as early as 1905, but the big discoveries began the following year. With them came early prospectors and settlers, as well as major mining companies looking to set up shop. The next decade would see no less than six mills operating in the area, as well as much-needed amenities including hotels, restaurants, banks, general stores, lodging houses, a hospital, school and library. Despite the Vast amenities, the remote location was a factor in keeping the population of Round Mountain quite low.

Today, roughly 2,500 residents call the entire Big Smoky Valley home, with most of them centered in the planned community of Hadley. The subdivision, built by the Round Mountain Gold Corporation, is the result of the continued expansion of the mining operations in Round Mountain, which actually sits over much of the region’s main ore body. Hadley offers its residents amenities including a community center, grocery store, library, schools, athletic facilities, a swimming pool, several churches, and Round Mountain golf course, a public course open seasonally. In Round Mountain proper, there are many structures still standing from the early days, but as the open mining pit gradually expands, their fates are uncertain.