Mazuma

Nevada is ghost-town central: the Comstock made it a state, and a century of played-out bonanzas kept it in ruins.

Mazuma, Nevada was a small mining town in Pershing County, Nevada where eight people were killed in a flash flood on July 11, 1912. Mazuma was founded in 1907 and a post office was established on August 28, 1907. The name "Mazuma" is derived from a Yiddish slang word for money: m'zumon. Other sources indicate that m'zumon means "the ready necessary". Just after 5pm on July 12, 1912, a 10-foot (3.0 m) wall of water was observed upstream from Mazuma at the Seven Troughs Canyon. The Seven Troughs Cyanide Plant was destroyed, releasing dozens of gallons of cyanide into the flood.

The on-the-ground condition of Mazuma is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Mazuma is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times. The mapped point for Mazuma is roughly 40.4717, -118.7639 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.