Ely, Nevada
| Ely, Nevada | |
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| — City — | |
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| Coordinates: 39°15′12″N 114°52′38″W / 39.25333°N 114.87722°WCoordinates: 39°15′12″N 114°52′38″W / 39.25333°N 114.87722°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Nevada |
| Area | |
| • Total | 7.1 sq mi (18.5 km2) |
| • Land | 7.1 sq mi (18.5 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 6,437 ft (1,962 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 4,255 |
| • Density | 595.7/sq mi (230/km2) |
| Time zone | Pacific (PST) (UTC-8) |
| • Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC-7) |
| ZIP codes | 89301, 89315 |
| Area code(s) | 775 |
| FIPS code | 32-23500 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0859671 |
Ely (
/ˈiːli/, ee-lee) is the largest city and county seat of White Pine County, Nevada, United States. Ely was founded as a stagecoach station along the Pony Express and Central Overland Route. Ely's mining boom came later than the other towns along US 50, with the discovery of copper in 1906. Though the railroads connecting the First Transcontinental Railroad to the mines in Austin and Eureka have long been removed, the railroad to Ely is preserved as a heritage railway by the Nevada Northern Railway and known as the Ghost Train of Old Ely.[1][2] As of the 2010 census, the population was 4,255.
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[edit] History
Ely was founded as a stagecoach station along the Pony Express and Central Overland Route. Ely's mining boom came later than the other towns along US 50, with the discovery of copper in 1906. This made Ely a mining town, suffering through the boom-and-bust cycles so common in the West. Originally, Ely was home to a number of copper mining companies, Kennecott being the most famous. With a crash in the copper market in the mid 1970s, Kennecott shut down and copper mining disappeared (temporarily).
With the advent of cyanide heap leaching—a method of extracting gold from what was previously considered very low-grade ore—the next boom was on. Many companies processed the massive piles of "overburden" that had been removed from copper mines, or expanded the existing open-pit mines to extract the gold ore. Gold mines as widespread as the Robinson project near Ruth, and AmSelco's Alligator Ridge mine 65 miles (105 km) from Ely, kept the town alive during the 1980s and 1990s, until the recent revival of copper mining.
As Kennecott's smelter was demolished, copper concentrate from the mine is now shipped by rail to Seattle, where it is transported to Japan for smelting. The dramatic increase in demand for copper in 2005 has once again made Ely a copper boom town.
The now defunct BHP Nevada Railroad ran from the mining district south of Ruth through Ely to the junction with the Union Pacific at Shafter from 1996-99.
[edit] Attractions
Ely is a tourism center, and is home of the Nevada Northern Railway Museum. Nearby are Great Basin National Park, Cave Lake State Park, and Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park, as well as the state parks of Lincoln County, Nevada.
The railroad museum features the Ghost Train of Old Ely, a working steam engine passenger train that travels the historic tracks from Ely to the Robinson mining district.
Ely is the nearest town to the proposed site of the Clock of the Long Now on Mount Washington.
The historic, six-story Hotel Nevada.[3] is located in downtown Ely. Opened in 1929, it was the tallest building in Nevada well into the 1940s and was the state's first fire-proof building. It is a popular lodging, dining, gaming and tourist stop.
The long stretch of road on State Route 318 near Ely is known for the annual 90 miles (140 km) Silver State Classic Challenge course, an authorized time trial Cannonball Run-style race that attracts entries from all over the world.
The Ely Renaissance Society has financed more than twenty outdoor murals and sculptures in the downtown area. Artists from all over the world have been commissioned to create images of area history, using different art styles. They also maintain a historical village consisting of a general store and several shotgun houses which display the history of the ethnic groups that came to the area to work for the railroad and the mine.[4]
[edit] Wildlife viewing
The Bureau of Land Management, part of the United States Department of the Interior, operates an area supporting an elk herd south of town. The Ely Elk Viewing Area offers visitors the opportunity to see an elk community up close.
[edit] Sports
The UNLV Rebels football team conducts its summer training camp in Ely, which provides a cooler place for August practices and prepares the team for the high altitude of most Mountain West Conference road games.
[edit] Notable residents
- A. J. Carpenter, U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral
- Pat Nixon, the wife of Richard M. Nixon, and the former First Lady of the United States, was born in Ely on March 16, 1912.
- Dave Ulrich, university professor, author, speaker, management coach, and management consultant
- Rodney Walker, designer and builder
[edit] Film History
- The climactic scene to the 2001 movie Rat Race was filmed in Ely, in and around the restored train depot of the railway museum.
- Operation Haylift (1950) by director William A. Berke, is about a historical event that took place in White Pine County. George N. Swallow was portrayed by Joe Sawyer. Sawyer was also the producer and co-screenplay writer for the film.
- Roadside Prophets (1992), an independent film directed by Abbe Wool.
- My Blueberry Nights (2007), was directed by Wong Kar-wai.
- Play Dead (2008), a film directed by Jason Wiles.
- Guncrazy (1992), starring Drew Barrymore
[edit] Economy
- QuandraFNX owns a large copper mine employing 510 people near Ely[5]
[edit] Geography and climate
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.1 square miles (18 km2), all of it land.
Ely experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk). The Western Climate Center reports that average January temperatures are a maximum of 39.3 °F (4.1 °C) and a minimum of 10.6 °F (−11.9 °C). Average July temperatures are a maximum of 87.2 °F (30.7 °C) and a minimum of 48.3 °F (9.1 °C). High temperatures of 90°F (32°C) or higher occur on an average of 20.5 days annually. Low temperatures of 32°F (0°C) or lower occur on an average of 217.5 days annually. The record high temperature was 101 °F (38 °C) on July 18, 1998. The record low temperature was −30 °F (−34 °C) on February 6, 1989. Average annual precipitation is 9.65 inches (24.5 cm). There are an average of 69 days annually with measurable precipitation. The wettest year was 1897 with 16.16 inches (41.0 cm) and the dryest year was 1974 with 4.22 inches (10.7 cm). The most precipitation in one month was 5.52 inches (14.0 cm) in April 1900. The most precipitation in 24 hours was 2.52 inches (6.4 cm) on September 26, 1982. Average annual snowfall is 52.0 inches (132 cm). The snowiest year was 1964 with 101.3 inches (257 cm). The most snowfall in one month was 42.0 inches (107 cm)in March 1894.[6]
| Climate data for Ely, Nevada | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 68 (20) |
67 (19) |
76 (24) |
82 (28) |
95 (35) |
99 (37) |
101 (38) |
97 (36) |
93 (34) |
85 (29) |
78 (26) |
68 (20) |
101 (38) |
| Average high °F (°C) | 40.0 (4.4) |
44.0 (6.7) |
49.9 (9.9) |
57.9 (14.4) |
67.3 (19.6) |
79.2 (26.2) |
87.3 (30.7) |
85.1 (29.5) |
75.8 (24.3) |
63.0 (17.2) |
48.8 (9.3) |
41.0 (5.0) |
61.61 (16.45) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 10.4 (−12.0) |
15.6 (−9.1) |
21.9 (−5.6) |
26.4 (−3.1) |
33.4 (0.8) |
40.6 (4.8) |
47.4 (8.6) |
46.4 (8.0) |
37.5 (3.1) |
27.8 (−2.3) |
18.2 (−7.7) |
10.6 (−11.9) |
28.02 (−2.21) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −27 (−33) |
−30 (−34) |
−13 (−25) |
−5 (−21) |
7 (−14) |
18 (−8) |
28 (−2) |
24 (−4) |
15 (−9) |
−3 (−19) |
−16 (−27) |
−29 (−34) |
−30 (−34) |
| Precipitation inches (mm) | .74 (18.8) |
.75 (19.1) |
1.05 (26.7) |
.90 (23) |
1.29 (32.8) |
.66 (16.8) |
.60 (15) |
.91 (23.1) |
.94 (23.9) |
1.00 (25.4) |
.63 (16) |
.50 (13) |
9.97 (253.2) |
| Snowfall inches (cm) | 9.2 (23.4) |
7.2 (18.3) |
9.7 (24.6) |
5.4 (13.7) |
3.2 (8.1) |
.1 (0.3) |
trace | trace | .6 (1.5) |
3.1 (7.9) |
6.0 (15.2) |
7.0 (17.8) |
51.5 (130.8) |
| Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 7.4 | 7.2 | 8.5 | 7.2 | 8.4 | 4.5 | 5.2 | 6.1 | 5.2 | 5.5 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 76.8 |
| Avg. snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 6.6 | 5.7 | 7.0 | 3.8 | 2.6 | .3 | 0 | 0 | .4 | 2.2 | 4.4 | 5.5 | 38.5 |
| Sunshine hours | 213.9 | 211.8 | 263.5 | 288.0 | 328.6 | 363.0 | 365.8 | 334.8 | 309.0 | 266.6 | 201.0 | 198.4 | 3,344.4 |
| Source: NOAA,[7] HKO (sun, 1961−1990),[8] Weather.com (extremes) [9] | |||||||||||||
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 203 |
|
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| 1900 | 525 | 158.6% | |
| 1910 | 2,055 | 291.4% | |
| 1920 | 2,090 | 1.7% | |
| 1930 | 3,045 | 45.7% | |
| 1940 | 4,140 | 36.0% | |
| 1950 | 3,558 | −14.1% | |
| 1960 | 4,018 | 12.9% | |
| 1970 | 4,176 | 3.9% | |
| 1980 | 4,882 | 16.9% | |
| 1990 | 4,756 | −2.6% | |
| 2000 | 4,041 | −15.0% | |
| 2010 | 4,255 | 5.3% | |
As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 4,041 people, 1,727 households, and 1,065 families residing in the city. The population density was 566.8 people per square mile (218.8/km²). There were 2,205 housing units at an average density of 309.3 per square mile (119.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.14% White, 0.32% African American, 3.12% Native American, 1.09% Asian, 0.35% Pacific Islander, 3.71% from other races, and 2.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.35% of the population.
There were 1,727 households out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.3% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,408, and the median income for a family was $42,168. Males had a median income of $36,016 versus $26,597 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,013. About 11.3% of families and 12.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.0% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Transportation
Commercial air service is available at Ely Airport. In 2011 the Ely Airport was frequently cited as one of the rural airports receiving federal subsidies through the Essential Air Service program.[11]
Major roads include:
- U.S. Route 6,
- U.S. Route 50 - Ely is the eastern end of the portion of US 50 known as "The Loneliest Road in America"
- U.S. Route 93
The historic Lincoln Highway, the first road across America, went through Ely, entering town from the north on U.S. Route 93 and departing town to the west on U.S. Route 50.
Ely is 97 miles east of Eureka, Nevada, 153 miles west of Delta, Utah, 105 miles north of Pioche, Nevada, 139 miles south of Wells, and 120 miles south of West Wendover.[12]
[edit] References
- ^ "Ely, Nevada". Nevada Commission on Tourism. http://ely.travelnevada.com/. Retrieved 2009-02-16.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ Hotel Nevada website
- ^ Ely Renaissance website
- ^ http://www.quadrafnx.com/s/RobinsonMine.asp
- ^ http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?nv2631
- ^ "Climatography of the United States No. 20: ELY, NV 1971-2000" (PDF). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 2004. http://cdo.ncdc.noaa.gov/climatenormals/clim20/nv/262631.pdf. Retrieved 2011-10-25.
- ^ "Climatological Normals of Ely". Hong Kong Observatory. http://www.weather.gov.hk/wxinfo/climat/world/eng/n_america/us/ely_e.htm. Retrieved 2011-10-25.
- ^ "Monthly Averages for Ely, NV (89315)". The Weather Channel. http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/vacationplanner/wxclimatology/monthly/89315. Retrieved 2011-10-25.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Demirjian, Karoun (22 July 2011). "1 Nevada FAA worker furloughed in squabble over aviation subsidies". Las Vegas Sun. http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/jul/22/house-senate-members-spar-aviation-subsidies/. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
- ^ Google Maps
[edit] External links
- Ely, Nevada website - White Pine Tourism and Recreation Board
- Official State of Nevada Tourism Site
- Exploring Nevada - Photographs of Ely and Surrounding Area
- Discoverely.com Ely-related website for travelers and visitors -- with HD video.
- Road Trip USA page about Ely
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