Established in 1927 and operational until 1972, the Midas School underwent significant changes over the years. In 1926, the community of Midas decided to finance the construction of a new schoolhouse for their children through a bond approved by the voters. Up until this point, students had been attending classes in two small, deteriorating buildings situated on a hill. The new school, a spacious two-room structure with a white and green exterior, opened its doors to local students in 1927 and served the community for almost half a century. The State of Nevada praised the school upon its completion, describing it as “modern in every respect.”
Throughout the late 1920s and well into the 1930s, the Midas School experienced a period of growth and prosperity. During this time, it employed two teachers, one of whom also served as the Principal. The school’s first teacher/Principal was Miss Margaret Watson, and one of her students, Edna Wilkerson Timmons, later named her as her favorite teacher. Edna was among the first students to graduate from eighth grade, which was the level mandated by state law at the time.
At its peak, the Midas School welcomed an average of 30 to 40 students each year. In addition to receiving education in the impressive school building, the children had access to state-of-the-art outhouses, with separate facilities for boys and girls, as well as sturdy play equipment like swings and a witch’s-hat merry-go-round. As the number of students dwindled to just a handful, the teacher resided in one room of the building and taught in the other.
By the 1960s, the mining industry that sustained Midas had significantly declined. Despite students still coming from nearby ranches, the school population often fell below the three-student minimum required by the State of Nevada. Eventually, in 1972, the Elko County School District sold the building to a private owner who transformed it into a hunting lodge. The playground equipment, however, continued to be enjoyed by visiting children.
In the late 1990s, Midas experienced a resurgence in gold mining activities, surpassing the expectations of early miners. Although the workers at the Ken Snyder Mine and Midas Mill numbered over 200, their families did not live in Midas. To accommodate their needs, the mining company acquired the old school building, refurbished it to its original grandeur from 1927, and repurposed it as an office. In 1999, during a ceremony attended by Mrs. Timmons and many former students of the Midas School, the company generously handed over the beautiful building, including the outhouses, playground equipment, and property, to the Friends of Midas nonprofit organization.
For more information on the Midas Schoohouse, please visit: https://FriendsOfMidas.com/midas-school/.
Friends of Midas
811 N. Main St.
Midas, NV 89414
(775) 529-0302