| Midas, Nevada | |
| Settlement Type: | Unincorporated community |
| Pushpin Map: | USA Nevada |
| Pushpin Label: | Midas |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within the state of Nevada |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Nevada |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Elko |
| Established Date: | 1907 |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Population As Of: | 2000 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | Pacific (PST) |
| Utc Offset: | -8 |
| Timezone Dst: | PDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -7 |
| Elevation Ft: | 5742 |
| Coordinates: | 41.2442°N -116.7967°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP codes |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 845906 |
Midas is a small unincorporated community in Elko County, Nevada. Although its population has fluctuated greatly over the years it has never been completely abandoned, and one can meet many of the living citizenry at the aptly named Ghost Town Saloon, its sole business.[1] Alongside Jarbidge, the town was known as one of the biggest twentieth-century gold mining towns in Elko County.
Midas' history began with the town being named Gold Circle. In June 1907, James McDuffy discovered gold at the base of Owyhee Bluffs in Elko County, Nevada. Two towns, Gold Circle and Summit were quickly created in proximity thereto. A post office was established at Gold Circle in 1907, and remained in operation until 1942. By 1908, many people moved to Gold Circle to establish mines, with the population exceeding 1,000 people by April that year. Then in 1909, with the dissolution of Summit, the federal government changed the name of Gold Circle to Midas, after King Midas.[2] Despite the number of available gold ores in the area, miners found themselves unable to fully reap benefits due to the lack of stamp mills, leading to only the highest quality gold ores being prioritized for shipping to mills located at a distance from Midas. Due to this limitation, the sudden influx of residents in Midas was soon followed by an equally drastic reduction: by the end of 1909, only 250 residents remained.[3] To address the pressing need for stamp mills, several mining companies that had taken residence in the town ended up establishing six mills by the end of 1909, which, in total, could accommodate 119 tonnes of gold. With this expansion and others in the following years, Midas experienced a second mining boom that lasted from 1916 to 1921.