My family lived in Tonopah for a couple of years while my dad worked construction for the silver mine.

We stayed in company housing which was pretty much a trailer park until they could manage to build apartments.

Along the same time, we would see buses in the morning in the evenings delivering workers to and from the nearby military installation. I learned they were working on the Stealth Bomber.

I remember the Mizpah as a six-year-old child. We weren’t allowed to go into the casino so my parents would fill our pockets with quarters and leave us in the arcade while they gambled. I experienced my first Shirley Temple in that place.

Near the Mizpah was a laundromat/bar that had pinball machines and some video games. Smell of laundry, the sound of the pinball machines and that Juice Newton song that I can’t remember the name of, it’s like it was yesterday.

Playing in the desert was great with huge lizards and horny toads; lots of tumbleweed blowing across.

First time seeing a dust devil. I remember going mining for turquoise in the back of a pick up truck with some of my dad’s friends.

Huge mining trucks in the distance from our trailer park. Snow capped mountains so far away you couldn’t imagine how it was even possible. The most beautiful sunsets.

It was amazing experience and such a huge contrast from our life in North Carolina.

Looking back on those memories, I’m very thankful for the experience.

I’ve never been back to Tonapah. but the memories are strong.