MARIE WUJEK MORE COLUMNS Advertisement

You may or may not be aware that Stephens Media not only owns the Pahrump Valley Times, they also own the Tonopah Times Bonanza-Goldfield News. Mark Smith and I wear the same hat for the Tonopah paper as we do for the Pahrump Valley Times -- we just do it from afar.

Friday we were in Tonopah for a staff meeting. I enjoy every trip I make to Tonopah, even a daily turn-around trip or the just-passing-through trip that occasionally presents itself. Tonopah along with Goldfield, about 25 miles away, are towns that were established well over a hundred years ago.

Both towns were brought to life by the discovery of silver and gold. People flocked to the area once word got out that there was gold in them there hills. In the early 1900s, Tonopah and Goldfield were thriving communities full of robust and hearty folks who made their living mining.

As the precious metals in the area started to pan out, both towns started to dry up. Once considered as two of the largest settlements in Nevada, people were packing up and moving on to the next big strike.

Tonopah became the county seat for Nye County in 1905; Ione was the original in 1864, followed by Belmont in 1867.

What has kept this town alive and continues to keep her going are her people, many of which work for Nye County, the Test Site and the Yucca Mountain project.

Tonopah has shown over and over again the ability to overcome obstacles and hardships. You can take her to her knees but she will never surrender. Many of the families in Tonopah have been there generation after generation. They chose to remain in this community, the town they love and have supported throughout the years, because it is home to them.

Tonopah and her inhabitants have spent countless hours preserving the integrity, original landmarks and history of Tonopah. They now rely heavily on the tourism industry, not just to tell stories of the Old West and the hardships life presented back in the day, but the founding of pride, tradition and heritage.

There is an air of commitment and dedication from the young children to their elders that never ceases to amaze me.

The history of Tonopah from the beginning to the present day is being preserved through the hard work of her loyal families, residents and newcomers that have come to appreciate what small-town living represents.

Pride of ownership abounds in Tonopah in my opinion. From the creation and work still in progress on the Tonopah Mining Park to the Central Nevada Museum, the longstanding and once grand Mizpah Hotel to the cemetery, you owe it to yourself and your family to experience Tonopah to the fullest.

This is a town that takes great pride in its heritage. It offers a trip back in time that reveals the hardships that were present on a continual basis.

The day-to-day living conditions, cold and unforgiving winters, health issues that plague towns with transient populations, the lure of easy money, which also brought unruly gunslingers and gamblers, help us to understand what it took for basic survival in the early 1900s.

Add to that the mine disasters that claimed so many at such an early age, yet represented and gave tribute to the heroes of yesteryear, those that sacrificed themselves to save others from harm.

The current economy is taking a toll on everyone.

With increases in the cost of gas, food and the cost of living, people are finding they don't have the monetary resources to go back east for their annual family reunion, take an extended vacation or a long-awaited cruise.

The recession plaguing us is creating a need to shorten vacations, keep us closer to home and still try to have an enjoyable and great time on an affordable budget.

In my previous travels to Tonopah, I have met some truly wonderful people. I met Bob Perchetti on one occasion, Tina the manager of Jim Marsh's Tonopah Station Casino, Ramada Inn and the Banc Club, Joanne at Best Western and several members of the Bertolino and Roberts family, plus many, many more old timers and newcomers.

These are longtime residents of Tonopah and the stories they tell grab your attention and keep it. Therefore, for an affordable vacation, I highly suggest a visit to Tonopah. Stop in Goldfield along the way and make it a two-day vacation to remember.

The history will amaze you, the people will enlighten you, and there are so many things to see and do, you won't be bored.

I think Pahrump Valley High School should require its junior and senior students to take a field trip to Tonopah and Goldfield. What better way to teach Nevada history than to have these kids visit and see for themselves what kind of work and commitment it took to build this state, one township at a time?

I have only touched on a few of the major attractions northern Nye County has to offer. A must-see is the historic Goldfield haunted hotel and a relatively new attraction to Tonopah, Otteson's Turquoise store located on Main Street. They were recently profiled on a major television show for treasure hunters and have a turquoise mine that you can go to and find your own treasures.

So when you go to Tonopah, stop by the newspaper and the businesses and attractions I mentioned, tell them Marie from Pahrump told you to come.

You won't be disappointed.