B.L. McLaughlin / Special to the PVT Kody and Autumne Jackowiak, with miniature donkeys Norman and Lulu, represent Otteson's Turquoise during the Goldfield Days parade last weekend. Advertisement

GOLDFIELD -- For a few days Goldfield went back in time.

Residents and visitors alike dressed in turn-of the-century clothing. Cowboys chatted with Victorian ladies while old-time bankers, sheriffs and dance hall girls roamed freely. A few outlaws even appeared, whenever the bus tour reached the Santa Fe Saloon.

Though Saturday was the big day, the celebration began Friday night, with the Senior Ms. Goldfield pageant and Casino night. A packed community center (very comfortable because of ceiling fans added by Juanita Colvin and the Esmeralda maintenance crew) hosted two beauty/talent contests: the 51-65 age group was won by Elizabeth Rassiga of Austin, a 61-year-old beauty who looks 41, and could not believe they chose her as Ms. Senior Goldfield (the younger); the "older senior" division was won by Ida Peter, 86, of Goldfield, whose rendition of the 1920s song, "Then Darling I'll Quit Chewing Gum" in the talent competition was called by one local denizen "a hoot and a half."

Norma Wendt, in character as a silent film star, gave a notable presentation in the talent contest, performing a song-and dance number from one of her films: since her films were silent, so was her singing.

Casino night, immediately following the pageant, featured blackjack, Texas Hold 'Em, and faro -- very popular in the Old West.

Saturday began with a pancake breakfast and the annual parade, followed by the land auction from the back courthouse steps.

With the county making over $45,000 on a mining claim and eight parcels of land, Micki Knight got one of the bargains of the day, paying $1,800 for a lot between two others she owns. She said, "I've been trying to buy that lot for 20 years."

The highest price, $16,000, was paid by Nevada Land and Development Corp. for the mining claim.

After the land auction, Asima Molangi, daughter of Lou Angel of Dusty Fenders Grill 'n' Fill, gave her first belly dancing performance of the day. Though she was taught the art in Las Vegas, Asima claims it as heritage, since she is part Syrian.

All through the day visitors could enjoy a variety of food offerings, shop at a vendor booth, listen to one of the bands along Crook Street or take a school bus tour of Historic Goldfield. The Goldfield tours, narrated by past Chamber of Commerce President Jim Paulis, started in front of the Ish-Curtis building, where waiting patrons could view a model of the town or buy an authentic recreation of an old-time soda, like "Moxie," which started as an elixir for the stomach.

The noon tour went past an old madam's house, the only Chinese building in town, Virgil Earp's and Tex Rickard's former dwellings, and both old and working mines before stopping at the Santa Fe Saloon for a break.

Thanks to Jim Paulis, and Charles the Kid (Charles Burns, 9, of Pahrump) the dastardly Goldfield Gang, who attacked as the bus was leaving, were successfully fought off, and the passengers survived to continue to the old Goldfield High School.

It seems nobody grew a beard, but plenty of liars showed up for the 2 p.m. contest at the Columbia Bar. The contest had two winners, qualifying as "D***** Liars": "The Tonopah Kid," who told a story about his family's popcorn ranch, and Ida Peter, who claimed to be a madam, telling how the floozy of the eulogy to be given later in the day met her untimely end.

The second-best liar, Matthew, claiming to be from Grinsby, England, said friends had paid for his airplane ticket from England so he could enter the Goldfield liars contest. He was awarded recognition as being "Full of S***."

The third-place winner, Mike Christian of Goldfield, produced a copy of a card identifying him as Scott Davis, described as "short" and "fat." His friend, Scott Davis, did not disagree. Christian's rating on the liar's scale was "Attorney." The worst liar of the winners was recognized as a "Whining Defendant." Stanley Davis won this honor.

By tradition, it seemed, as evening came what appeared to be all of Goldfield drifted to the Santa Fe Saloon, where they were entertained by perennial favorite Gold Rush, plus two -- Jim Paulis and Digger on washboard, and spoons. People danced, or not, including an impromptu hula to a Hawaiian tune, and talked and relaxed after a long, busy day.

The grand prize in Goldfield's raffle, a necklace made from an assay button containing over nine grams of gold, was won by Lydia Bridgman of Goldfield. The necklace was made by Meaghan Kelly of Gems of the Great Basin and donated to the raffle by Dominic Pappalardo.