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The Nevada.FM Podcast: Stories, Songs & Secrets

The Tonopah town sign.

We go deep into the heart of Nevada, uncovering one song, one story, and one secret at a time, all within a day-trip from our basecamp in Tonopah. From hidden tales of the Wild West to supernatural melodies that defy scientific understanding, each episode promises a thrilling journey through the soul of the Silver State.


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Full archive, in alphabetical order:

A Woman's Dream Turns to Murder   ⓘ

Love and jealousy collide in the unforgiving heart of Tonopah's Restricted District. A lonely cook with dreams, a charming player, and a woman of mystery - their tangled web leads to a deadly showdown. Was it cold-blooded murder or a desperate act of a heart betrayed? Unravel the truth as a "Woman's Dream Turns to Murder”.

Also check out:

  • "Colored [sic]  Woman Is Shot Down In Street By Rival In Love And Receives Fatal Wounds" [sic, transcribed as published]. Tonopah daily bonanza. (Tonopah, NV), 26 April 1913.
  • "Lena Hamilton, Colored [sic], Shot Saturday By Jealous Rival In Love Affair, Succumbs Sunday" [sic, transcribed as published]. Tonopah daily bonanza. (Tonopah, NV), 28 April 1913.
  • "Held to Answer to Grand Jury on Murder Charge". Tonopah daily bonanza. (Tonopah, NV), 29 April 1913.
  • "Enters Plea of Not Guilty to Murder Charge". Tonopah daily bonanza. (Tonopah, NV), 23 May 1913.
  • "Board of Pardons". Carson City daily appeal. (Carson City, NV), 29 Nov. 1918.
  • "Woman Taken State Prison to Serve Sentence". Tonopah daily bonanza. (Tonopah, NV), 20 June 1913.

  • Bina Verrault, The Love Syndicate Queen   ⓘ

    From Love Syndicate Queen to Tonopah Nobody. We’re talking about the woman who once captivated the eyes of a nation but ended up buried in a desolate mining camp.


    Bullfrog County, the Perfect Place for the Perfect Crime   ⓘ

    Nevada: a land of glittering casinos, sprawling deserts, and uninhabited counties? We're venturing off the beaten path to explore the bizarre saga of Bullfrog County. You wont find this one on any map. In fact, it existed for a mere 22 months in the 1980s. We're talking about the story behind a ghost county that became the "Perfect Place for the Perfect Crime".

    Also check out:

  • "Bullfrog County, Nevada", wikipedia.org, includes further reading in the References section.

  • Happys Deadly Love Triangle   ⓘ

    Charles “Happy” Smith. A cheerful nickname for a man who met a tragic end. Found dead in his miner's shack, a bullet and a brutal blow marking his final moments.

    Love triangles, jealous rage, and a witness who falls silent. Was it a crime of passion or something more calculated? Was justice served, or did the real killer slip away? We’re digging into the dark secrets of a mining town and question the details behind Happy Smith's demise.

    Also check out:

  • Tonopah Bonanza, Charles Smith article, August 18, 1906

  • The Curious Case of The Bartender from Blair   ⓘ

    We’re stepping into the shadows of Blair, Nevada, where the echoes of the Mary Mine Saloon's secrets still linger. We’re here to unravel the mysterious tale of Nick, a bartender, a family man, and an enigma of his tragic end. Was it suicide, or was it murder? Join us as we uncover new questions in this unsolved mystery.

    Also check out:

  • "Bartender Commits Suicide in Fit of Despondency", Aug 15, 1913, Tonopah Daily Bonanza.
  • "Yesterday was a busy day in Judge Brissell's court", July 9 1908, Tonopah Daily Bonanza

  • The Drink of Death   ⓘ

    In the mining town of Tonopah, Samuel B Crouch was a diligent young man supporting his widowed mother, until a routine day at the assay office turned fatal. Found unconscious near the Belmont mill, rumors swirled.Was it murder, an accident, or something darker? Questions mounted, but answers kept eluding investigators. We’re talking about the haunting reminders of life's unpredictable twists in the unforgiving world of mining.

    Also check out:

  • "TAKES CYANIDE ACCIDENTALLY, DEATH RESULTS". Tonopah Daily Bonanza, 30 Jan 1922.

  • The Fermented Grapes of Tonopah   ⓘ

    Nevada's silver boomtown, Tonopah, wasn't just about riches. it was riddled with a silent killer. silicosis. This lung disease ravaged miners, leaving a trail of widows and shattered dreams. But Tonopah wasn't a town to surrender. The community rallied, offering support to those left behind. Many women turned to running boarding houses, a natural fit for survival. But one widow refused to be defined by tragedy. We’re talking about a strong woman who did it a little differently.

    Also check out:

  • Tonopah: The Greatest, the Richest, and the Best Mining Camp in the World. Robert D. McCracken. Pages 47-48.

  • The Ghost of George Devil Davis   ⓘ

    A beloved prankster and local political leader was tragically murdered in a saloon by a scorned loved one. But local legend says their spirit lives on in a main street establishment. But this isn't your typical establishment. Here, whispers abound of a playful presence. We’re talking about a local legend known for his pranks and charm, whose spirit lingers at a local watering hole.

    Also check out:

  • George "Devil" Davis's grave at the Old Tonopah Cemetery
  • Tonopah Bonanza, “George Devil Davis, Victim of Wife's Fury who Fires Four Shots Into Back of Husband. Onlooker Receives a Bullet in Ankle. Woman Had Threatened to Kill."

  • The Great Millers Gold Rush   ⓘ

    Actual title: "The Great Miller's Gold Rush?" (with a question mark)

    A harmless prank between friends in a parched Nevada town backfires spectacularly. One miner's joke sparks a gold rush, transforming an Esmeralda County town from a sleepy desert outpost to a chaotic frenzy. Will this newfound onslaught of people save the town, or will the "Great Gold Rush" end in disappointment? It’s a story of a prank gone wild.

    Also check out:

  • "A History of TONOPAH, NEVADA". Robert D. McCracken, Nye County Press. Page 86.

  • The Legend of Jack Longstreet   ⓘ

    The desert of the American West was choked by Prohibition's grip. But beneath the dusty surface, a spark of defiance flickers. A man sees an opportunity. With his loyal partner by his side, they embark on a daring scheme. Will their defiance end in a showdown, leaving another tombstone bleaching in the unforgiving sun? We're talking about the legend of Jack Longstreet, the outlaw who dared to defy Prohibition in the heart of the Nye County desert.

    Also check out:

  • The John Andrew Longstreet grave stone at the Belmont Cemetary
  • The road sign on Nevada Route 373 near the Longstreet Casino.
  • "Tonopah: The Greatest, the Richest, and the Best Mining Camp in the World" by R. McCracken, page 18.

  • The Lights of Monitor Valley   ⓘ

    In the stillness of a Nevada desert night in 1961, a dedicated geologist—whose real name is obscured by government secrecy—witnessed a dazzling and inexplicable phenomenon. As he drove along the desolate road, an intense light appeared over the mountains, casting eerie shadows before abruptly vanishing. This extraordinary encounter, detailed in a declassified report, leaves lingering questions about the mysterious lights and their true origin. Could the answers lie beyond conventional explanations, or is the truth still concealed in the vast expanse of the night sky?

    Also check out:

  • "N of Tonopah, Nevada, September 1961", Sanitized Version of Project Blue Book Case Files on Sightings of Unidentified Flying Objects, 1947–1969, Department of Defense. Department of the Air Force (via The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration).

  • The Most Charitable People in the Desert Were the Prostitutes   ⓘ

    The wild west town of Tonopah was known for being a place where fortunes were made and lost. And it’s also a place where an unlikely group of women emerged as the town's most generous residents. We’re talking about the unexpected saints of a Nevada boomtown.

    Also check out:

  • "Tonopah: The Greatest, the Richest, and the Best Mining Camp in the World" by R. McCracken, page 59. Nye County Press.

  • The Murder of Dixie Miller   ⓘ

    The year is 1920. The town is Tonopah, Nevada. Dixie Miller is employed as a saloon girl, who could charm the silver right out of a miner's pocket. But her smile couldn't sweeten the bitter truth – she and the scowling bartender were locked in a deadly dispute. Accusations flew thicker than smoke in a local saloon. Then, one scorching August day, a desperate scream shattered the silence. Did a heated argument over stolen money escalate to murder? Or was there something more to the story – a dark secret that fueled a deadly rage? We’re uncovering the story of Dixie Miller and Fred Wilberg.

    Also check out:

  • Tonopah Daily Bonanza. September 02, 1920
  • Tonopah Daily Bonanza. August 25, 1920
  • Carson City Daily Appeal. August 15, 1922
  • STATE v. WILLBERG., Supreme Court of Nevada, September 6, 1921
  • Reno Gazette-Journal, 22 May 1928.

  • The Scandalous Downfall of Sheriff Logan   ⓘ

    Nevada, 1906. A beloved Sheriff, a beacon of justice known for taming rowdy mining camps, meets a shocking end – not in a dramatic shootout, but in a rural brothel. We’re talking about Wild West justice colliding with a small-town scandal.

    Also check out:

  • "Nye sheriff shot to death at brothel", April 7, 1906, Reno Gazette-Journal
  • "Old Tonopah Cemetery Walking Tour", https://www.tonopahnevada.com/old-tonopah-cemetery/

  • The Senator on Ice   ⓘ

    It’s election night, 1940. Our candidate for senate suffers a fatal heart attack. It’s an important election. In a desperate huddle, a plan emerges. His body, still warm from life, is put on ice, literally. Will this desperate act, fueled by political ambition, work? We’re talking about the legend surrounding the demise of the second-highest-ranking official of the United States Senate, in a Tonopah hotel.

    Also check out:

  • Wikipedia: Key Pittman
  • Mizpah Hotel: https://themizpahhotel.com/our-history
  • Historic Hotels: https://www.historichotels.org/us/hotels-resorts/mizpah-hotel/history-mystery.php

  • The Tracks Finally Reached Tonopah   ⓘ

    Imagine yourself as a prospector in the early 1900s, lured by whispers of silver riches in Tonopah. The trek there? A grueling test of patience - multiple trains, stagecoaches, and a bone-jarring desert crossing. It became agonizingly clear: Tonopah needed a lifeline. Join us as we explore the rise and fall of the Tonopah Railroad.

    Also check out:

  • "Tonopah: The Greatest, the Richest, and the Best Mining Camp in the World" by R. McCracken, page 20.
  • "Goldfield's Railroads", brochure by The Goldfield Historical Society.

  • Uncle Sam Ran a Hurdy-Gurdy House   ⓘ

    It’s the turbulent world of Tonopah in 1913. The Big Casino stood as a beacon of fortune amidst shifting sands. As the state tightened its grip on gambling, its charismatic owner faced personal and financial ruin amid a bitter divorce and mounting debts. When a Federal Judge intervened, an unexpected entity took the reins of the casino, plunging into a whirlwind of moral debates and economic upheaval. We’re talking about a tale of Tonopah’s nightlife scene, federal overreach and local intrigue, forever intertwining the fates of those who dared to play under Uncle Sam's watchful gaze.

    Also check out:

  • "A History of TONOPAH, NEVADA", Robert D. McCracken. Nye County Press TONOPAH NEVADA, Page 41.
  • U.S. Runs Gambling House in Nevada: https://author.doresabanning.com/u-s-runs-gambling-house-in-nevada/
  • "WAS UNCLE SAM A WHITE SLAVER?" [sic, title transcribed as found], Tonopah daily bonanza., (Tonopah, Nev.), 10 June 1915.

  • Was the Moon Landing a Nevada Desert Lie   ⓘ

    Did we take one giant leap for mankind, or was it one giant leap for...Hollywood? We’re diving into the enduring conspiracy theory that the moon landing was a hoax, filmed right here in the Nevada desert. Separating fact from fiction, we’re exploring the evidence (or lack thereof) surrounding this lunar whodunit.


    Whispers of the Lady in Red   ⓘ

    The historic Mizpah, a grand hotel with a chilling reputation that extends far beyond its elegant architecture. Whispers of otherworldly guests echo through the halls, and the most captivating resident isn't listed in the guest registry. We're talking about the legendary Lady in Red.

    Also check out:

  • "Meet the Lady in Red: Nevada's Most Famous Ghost", travelnevada.com
  • "Mizpah Hotel", Wikipedia.org