Battle Mountain, NV
with others
The railroad and mining played an important role in the early days of Battle Mountain. When the Central Pacific Railroad came through the area in October 1868, it encountered a loosely knit community of mining camps inspired by the boomtown of Austin, located 90 miles south.
The town of Battle Mountain is named for a mountain to the southwest, where in the early 1860s Native Americans attacked a band of gold seekers. When Central Pacific established its station there, the railroad named the area Reese River Siding. The actual town of Battle Mountain was a few miles west in the Battle Mountain Range. However, with the railroad's arrival the town moved to Reese River Siding, bringing its name with it. Battle Mountain became a significant shipping point for cattle ranches in the adjacent Pumpernickel and Reese River valleys. Its post office was established in 1870.
By 1880, Battle Mountain had a population of 522 and was an important meeting point for the Nevada Central Railroad, which connected Austin with the Central Pacific. That line was shut down in 1938. Through most of the 20th century, Battle Mountain's economy was based on shipping, mining and livestock. Today, the city has a population of just over 3,600 residents.