Explorando la era de la minería de oro de Cleland Brothers en Palmetto, Nevada (1946-1966)

Ah, them Cleland brothers, they was into gold minin’ down in Palmetto, Nevada. That was back in the time, round about 1946 till ‘bout 1966. Now, lemme tell ya, this place, Palmetto, it ain’t no big city, no sir. It’s way out there in Esmeralda County, and high up too, they say ‘bout 8,400 feet up in the mountains. It wasn’t the kinda place folks just stumbled on, nah, them Cleland boys, they went lookin’ for gold there on purpose, knowin’ what they was after.

Now, the Cleland brothers, they came from Bishop, California, heard one of ‘em was Duke Cleland, a man known in the minin’ circles. They ain’t no strangers to diggin’ deep into the ground, lookin’ for that shiny gold. This Palmetto place, it wasn’t the first time folks tried to get gold outta them hills. I remember hearin’ that Palmetto done boomed before, maybe back in the 1800s, but folks moved on when it didn’t pan out. But these Cleland boys, they wasn’t scared. Nope, they was ready to dig, and that’s just what they did.

Hard times, but gold’s there somewhere

Now, diggin’ for gold, that ain’t easy work. Oh no, it’s back breakin’, dusty, and more often than not, ya end up with nothin’. But them Cleland brothers, they kept at it. Some folks say they found some good gold there, others reckon it was a lotta hard work for not much reward. But that’s minin’ for ya. You don’t strike it rich every day, but when ya do, boy oh boy, it makes all them long days worth it.

• Gold in them hills, but hard to get.
• Worked from ‘46 to ‘66.
• High elevation, tough conditions.

Durin’ them 20 years or so, the Cleland brothers worked the land, diggin’ deeper and deeper into the rocks, searchin’ for veins of gold. Palmetto was quiet, ain’t a big crowd up there in the mountains, just a few miners and them boys workin’ hard. Now, I don’t reckon they was usin’ them big modern machines like folks do today, no sir. Back then, it was all sweat, pickaxes, and maybe a bit of dynamite to blast the rocks. But them boys knew what they was doin’, workin’ like that for years and years.

By the time 1966 rolled ‘round, folks say the gold had run dry or maybe it just wasn’t worth the trouble no more. But them Cleland brothers, they gave it all they had. After that, well, they packed up and moved on, like most miners do when the ground don’t give no more.

Palmetto still standin’ but quiet now

Nowadays, Palmetto, Nevada, well, it ain’t no boomtown. Hardly anyone even knows ‘bout it unless they studyin’ history or into minin’. But it’s still there, high up in them Nevada hills, just waitin’ for someone else to come along and try their luck. Ain’t that somethin’? Years of diggin’, towns springin’ up and dyin’ down, all for the chance of findin’ some gold.

Some folks might wonder what happened to the Cleland brothers after 1966. Well, I reckon they went on to other minin’ ventures, or maybe they retired and took it easy. But for them 20 years, they sure gave Palmetto their all. Them boys was real miners, the kind that don’t give up easy. And even though they ain’t find no riches to speak of, their names still come up when folks talk ‘bout Palmetto and its gold minin’ days.

Gold minin’ ain’t for the faint of heart, but if ya got the grit and the guts, it’s worth the try. And the Cleland brothers, well, they had both in spades.

Tags：[Cleland brothers, Palmetto gold mining, Nevada history, gold mining 1946-1966, Esmeralda County mining, Duke Cleland]