battle mountain

The Northern Nevada mining town is prospering during challenging times.

By MATTHEW B. BROWN | March/April 2009

Photo: Bruce Rettig; Charlie Johnston (below)

Citizens of Battle Mountain must have cringed when The New York Times’ Steve Friess showed up in the sleepy town and started asking questions. Not even a decade ago it was another East Coast paper that sapped the area with the label, “the armpit of America.” The 2001 Washington Post article, although it brought with it a fair bit of bittersweet national attention, still stings some who don’t subscribe to the motto “any publicity is good publicity.”

It’s those people especially who must have felt relief when they read Friess’ article, published January 2. The theme: Life is good in Battle Mountain. “I’m not going to pack up and leave because someone that’s not from here writes a [negative] story,” says Samme Engelson, a Battle Mountain native who owns Thimbles ’n’ Quilts. “I don’t think we’re the armpit.”

In fact, due to Lander County’s (Battle Mountain is the capital) role in the gold-mining industry, many of the territory’s nearly 6,000 residents are prospering in a time of general economic disparity. That means good wages and steady, if not rising, home values. “I don’t know of anybody who is getting foreclosed on; it’s just not an issue out here,” Charlotte Thompson, a hostess at the Owl Club, says in The Times story.

The financial boon is bringing a few more commercial businesses to town, which is all the better for local owners like Engelson who welcome tourists with open arms. “Last summer, I had seven different people from seven different states or countries in my store,” she says, admitting that most of her business comes from a 100-mile radius.

So, if one doesn’t work for a mine or like to sew, why Battle Mountain? “I have some cousins who have said they haven’t had a bad meal in town,” Engelson says. “People are friendly and accepting, and there’s no traffic. I felt safe walking the streets as a kid, and I still feel it’s safe for my kids.”

Like many small towns in Nevada, other major draws to the area are events, some of the more unique in the state. The World Human-Powered Speed Challenge, this year in September, seeks out the “world’s fastest human propelled by their own power.” The competition is held on State Route 305, also the site of The Pony Express Open Road Race from Battle Mountain to Austin (August). There’s also Basque and bluegrass festivals, a crab feed, rodeos, and—Engelson’s favorite—the quilt show.

If you’re “tough enough,” as the official Battle Mountain tourism Web site puts it, there are adventure opportunities galore such as hunting, fishing, and off-roading. Kimberlie Davis, a resident for nearly 20 years, enjoys exploring the area. “If you have never hiked or taken a four-wheeler to the top of a mountain and looked out on a vista for 100-200 miles, you have no idea what you’re missing,” she says.

MEET NEVADA MAGAZINE

On the morning of Saturday, April 18, we will meet and greet citizens at the Battle Mountain High School Rodeo. We invite you to visit our booth.

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