Aurora, Nevada

I forgot to post about one of my favorite parts of our Eastern Sierra tour - our trip to the Aurora Cemetery.  This was the place we went right before we got lost on the dirt road.  We all really enjoyed hunting around in the remote area looking for old graves.  And we loved reading about the history of the wild west environment.

Here is some history about what it was like in the 1860's when up to 6000 people lived there:

Aurorans quickly learned that the climate was harsh and the weather totally unpredictable, making life difficult for its residents. The majority of the population was male and saloons were numerous. Gambling houses and brothels were equally common and provided late night entertainment to the men of the town. There were numerous Chinese brothels that exist on the most public of streets and roughly half the women in the town were prostitutes. Other recreational activities for the men were hunting and fishing, dog fights or dog and badger fights, which was another opportunity to gamble. Skiing was a big recreational activity in the town thanks to the mountains surrounding the town. It was probably the most popular recreational activity among residents.

Violence was a major problem in the town. Most men carried guns and knives during daily life and armed conflict was not rare. These conflicts often ended in death. There are numerous examples of disagreements leading to armed violence. Family life was almost non existent due to the low number of women and children in the town. This allowed the men to frequent the saloons, brothels and gambling houses that were in the town.

Has to stop for a snack on the way!