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May 31, 2006
IN TONOPAH Mining Park is named best rural museum ... againPVT
"It's just a testament to the museum, the hard work at the museum and the great interest that our visitors have in the mining park," Mining Park Director Shawn Hall said. The poll will be published in the July/August edition of the magazine, which will hit the bookstands in mid-June. The magazine received about 1,000 ballots from readers statewide. "I don't think it was even close in that area. Shawn's done a great job and the word is getting out that the museum is worth checking out in the central Nevada area," said the magazine's publisher, Richard Moreno. "It's not only come a long way but it's a unique attraction." The mining park was founded in 1992 after the property was donated by Echo Bay Mining Company. It didn't open on a regular schedule until Hall was hired in 1999. Hall said there were 600 visitors that first year, but since 1999 they've had 8,000 more. It affords a unique opportunity to walk around an old mine site safely. The 110-acre Tonopah Historic Mining Park is located at the site of the former Tonopah Mining Company property which includes the Silver Top, Desert Queen, Montana Tonopah, North Star and the Mizpah mines. Visitors can walk through the burro tunnel to one of Jim Butler's original discoveries, see an extensive mineral collection in an old warehouse building on the self-guided tour and original mine hoists. The Tonopah Historic Mining Park is not to be confused with the Central Nevada Museum, located off Main Street near the Ramada Inn Tonopah Station. The Central Nevada Museum won the award in 1998. The Northeastern Nevada Museum in Elko won the award in 1999 when the Wanamaker Wildlife Wing was added and again in 2001. The Ramada Express in Laughlin won the award in 2000 for a Back to the 40s exhibit. |
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