At the eastern end of U.S. Highway 50 in Nevada is the bustling town of Ely. What started as only a post office and stagecoach station grew rapidly with the discovery of copper in 1906. As the railroad steamed into town, Ely continued to grow, and the town’s history is documented by a series of giant murals decorating the sides of buildings throughout town. For a closer look at the town’s history, visitors can also tour the Renaissance Village and see homes and stores decorated the way they were in the 1900s. The home are furnished and decorated to represent the ethnicities that made up Ely’s early days: Spanish, Italian, English, French, Slavic, Asian, and Greek.

A visit to Ely would not be complete without a stop at the historic Hotel Nevada and Gambling Hall. Once a popular resting place for the Hollywood crowd on ski vacations to Sun Valley, Idaho, Hotel Nevada has hosted many celebrities such as Wayne Newton, Gary Cooper, Jimmy Stewart and Ann Rutherford. Many of the hotel rooms are decorated in honor of their famous guests.

Perhaps the most prized attraction in Ely is the Ghost Train, an authentic steam-engine train, part of the Nevada Northern Railway. Visitors can tour the rail yard and take a ride on the train. Tickets can be purchased online at www.nevadanorthernrailway.net, and you can find out more about special excursions including wine-tasting and barbecue trains. During the winter months, Santa is often seen handing out cookies as the old steam engine transforms into the Polar Express.

Learn more about the town’s railroad history at the East Ely Railroad Depot Museum, open weekdays. You can also download the Railroad Brochure here.

Ely is one of the towns on along “The Loneliest Road in America.” Highway 50 earned this name for its long, isolated stretch through Nevada. Travelers can download a Highway 50 Survival Guide here and get it stamped in each of the towns along the way and then share their tales of survival.

Just a short drive from Ely is a row of fascinating reminders of the copper mining days. The Ward Charcoal Ovens are beehive-shaped brick ovens built in the 1870s and still standing in near-perfect condition. The ovens are now a state park; download the Nevada State Parks Brochure here to learn more.

You can also do some rock hounding at Garnet Hill, an area known for its dark red garnets that remain embedded in volcanic rock. Or step back in time and take a private tour of the McGill Drug Store Museum. Whatever you do, you’ll “Experience the Unexpected” in Ely.