BATTLE MOUNTAIN - A century ago, Battle Mountain eagerly accelerated into the automobile age, quickly recognizing the advantages that motorized vehicles would bring to the town's economy. Easy access to Battle Mountain's businesses offered a route to prosperity, so the Chamber of Commerce sponsored road construction projects and lobbied for the designation of an interstate route along the Humboldt River.
Battle Mountain's motor vehicles became important factors in the mining booms of nearby Midas (1907), Bannock (1909), and Kimberly (1910) and generated a new kind of business: the auto stage. One successful operator was Charles Snow who ran several vehicles, including a Thomas Flyer, from Battle Mountain to the mining camps, advertising "reliable driving, good cars, and fast time." The 14 miles out to Bannock could be covered in a speedy 40 minutes. The service was not inexpensive, however. A 4-hour round-trip to Midas cost $25, similar to buying a plane ticket today.
Ranchers also welcomed the new-fangled machines. In 1913, Reese Jenkins rolled into town with a new Reo. Other folks, such as Dr. Samuel Clark, preferred Fords. By 1915, Henry Lemaire was Battle Mountain's official Ford representative.
Impressed with the speed in which a railroad car full of new Fords sold out, the newspaper declared: "Battle Mountain feels rather proud of citified airs being thrust upon it. To receive and absorb a whole carload of autos in practically one week is a feat that makes us feel our importance, and consequently we swell with the pride of progress."
Local retailers, such as A.D. Lemaire & Sons and E.S. Mendive, began offering gas at about 20 cents a gallon and other automobile-related gear. The Commercial Hotel, under the new ownership of Alex Wise, promised "special attention given to tourists and traveling men." Nelson Bartoo announced plans to construct a two-story machine shop and garage to build cars on "the prominent corner" of Reese and Second Streets.
In 1909, Battle Mountain had only three cars, but by 1918, 114 were registered, even though none of the area's roads had yet been paved. Eight cars were owned by women, such as Capitol Hotel proprietor Emma Hancock.
Some businesses, such as D.K. Starrett's ice delivery service, continued to use horse-drawn wagons, but their days were numbered. By the 1920s, over 500 cars and trucks daily zipped along Nevada's State Route #1, which incorporated Front Street, and brought customers to downtown Battle Mountain.
The Cookhouse Museum has commissioned Dana Bennett to write a history of Battle Mountain, which will be published next year. In the meantime, bits of Battle Mountain history will be featured in this monthly column and on Dana's blog at www.BennettHistoricalResearch.com/vignettes.
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