How White Pine County Got It’s Name
There aren’t any White Pines in White Pine!
MENU

How White Pine County Got Its Name

© Donna Frederick, 2001

A group of Reese River miners found evidence of silver on the western slopes of White Pine Mountain as early as the autumn of 1865 and organized the White Pine Mining District. Ironically, White Pine was named for the heavy stands of trees in the District, thought to be White Pines. There are no White Pines in White Pine County. Engelmann Spruce, common in the county, has sometimes been called “White Pine,” though it is not a true Pine. According to the United States Forest Service, the trees covering the White Pine Range and other ranges of the county and thought to be White Pines, were probably Limber Pines, or White Fir. Nevertheless, the name White Pine, technically right or wrong, became a rallying call for adventurers from all over “Going to White Pine.” There were fortunes to be made!

It was not until 1868, on Treasure Hill, over nine thousand feet above the sea, that a rich discovery of silver ore led to the rush to White Pine. News of the discovery spread rapidly and the cry “going to White Pine” was heard throughout the state. So great was the excitement during the year 1868, that every man who could get there visited the White Pine District to examine the vast wealth of the district.

White Pine Mining District was located in Lander County, with Austin the County Seat. The distance to Austin was 120 miles and citizens of the District did not want to travel that far to the county seat. Citizen groups met in Silver Springs (Shermantown), Treasure City and Hamilton to petition the state legislature for a separate county organization. Committees were chosen from each city to prepare the bill for the new county. It was assumed that the Legislature would be governed by the wishes of the citizens of the three principal towns in the proposed new county. Although all were in favor of the organization of a new county, the name of the county and the location of the county seat created much dissension. Some felt the name White Pine seemed to be most appropriate for the county name, as “White Pine” was well known abroad. Others favored the name Ruby, because that was the name of the oldest settled valley in the proposed new county and was located along the route of the Pacific Railroad. The name White Pine was chosen for the name of the new county, and Hamilton was appointed the county seat.

White Pine News, March 6, 1869 wrote, “The bill creating the county of White Pine has became a law without the approval of the Governor, he having retained it over the five days limited by the Constitution.” The governor appointed the first county officers April 1, 1869.