Austin

Austin Nevada History

Austin NV’s robust mining-era history has earned the town Historic District status and a dozen of of its buildings places on the National Register of Historic Places. But, as with most places in Nevada, history begins long before any of those places. The Western Shoshone Indians were the first to inhabit the area, and you can see their artistic calling cards in two Austin area locations: Hickison Petroglyph Recreation Area, where you can appreciate 10,000 year old rock carvings, and Toquima Cave, one of the largest—and oldest—pictograph canvases on the entire continent. 

While many businesses disappeared as fortune-seekers took them (and sometimes even their buildings) to the next boomtown, Austin’s Historic Churches remain—the amount and conditions of which are both rare for a former mining town—including St. Augustine’s Cultural Center, originally the community’s catholic church, which is now the town’s prized events center. 

As a proper boom-and-bust 19th-century mining town, an 1860s silver rush made Austin thrive with a population of more than 10,000. By 1887, however, ore discovery and production declined, prompting the city’s residents to seek new opportunities elsewhere. Thanks to its perfect location on Highway 50—the Loneliest Road in America—Austin was able to hang on, and today still showcases its fascinating chapter of Nevada’s story—including at the old Lander County Courthouse (now a visitor center) and the Austin Historical Society, where you’ll see fascinating artifacts from the mining boom days, the Pony Express Route, and more. 

One of the most prominent reminders of Austin’s mining-era grandeur is Stokes Castle. Perched on the western edge of town, overlooking the sweeping Reese River Valley. This three-story stone structure was built of hand-hewn granite by a wealthy mining magnate and railroad tycoon in the 1890s. Although it was surprisingly only lived in for about a month, it now stands as a monument to its dry-masonry construction and the over-the-top displays of wealth that solidified the legends of the Wild West forever.

Austin, NV Restaurants

Dining options can be limited in this 192-ish person town! Grandma’s bills itself as “Austin’s Living Room” and whips up tasty homemade pizza and tacos. In the warmer months, Champy, the owner of Champs Gas, serves up some of the Loneliest Road’s heartiest, most mouth-watering burgers from his Champs Burgers food truck—open seasonally during the summertime only. The Lucky Spur Saloon in Kingston offers chilled sacks and heat-and-eat grub to help soak up any adult beverages you may be toasting your adventures with. 

Further west you’ll find two former Pony Express stops turned bar-and-grills: Cold Springs Station, known for its Friday fish fry fare, and Middlegate Station, a real-deal Sagebrush Saloon offering grilled-in-front-of-you goodies, including the notorious multi-pound Middlegate Monster Burger. However, when it comes to supplies for backcountry adventures, we recommend stocking up in Fallon 1.75 hours to the west or Eureka 1.25 hours to the east.