A presentation of the Nevada Historical Society, High Noon with Neal Cobb is a monthly history series that delves into Nevada topics with local experts. Neal Cobb is a passionate historian and honorary curator for the Nevada Historical Society. Each month he is joined by a different guest presenter.

This month Ted Faye tells us about the Death Valley gold rush of the early 20th century.

At the turn of the 20th century, the most famous desert in America was the one on the Nevada-California border bearing the ominous name "Death Valley." Ironically, its name lured treasure-seekers who figured a place so horrific and vile must be guarding a vast storehouse of wealth just beneath its surface. By the early 1900s, fortune hunters flocked to the region, spurred by tales of untold riches. The discovery of borax and, later, gold and silver deposits turned Death Valley into an improbable boomtown, where dreams were made and lost. Though the rush was short-lived, its impact shaped the region’s history, leaving behind ghost towns and legends that endure to this day.

Ted Faye is an accomplished film producer and author. He produced Iverson, the definitive documentary on NBA superstar Allen Iverson and the Weird Tales series, including Weird Tales 1: Death Valley's Ancient Underground and Weird Tales 4: The Ghosts of Death Valley Junction. He has worked extensively with Nevada communities and Travel Nevada to promote cultural and heritage tourism. As an author, he has written Death Valley Gold Rush, The Twenty Mule Team of Death Valley and Goldfield, delving into the rich past of the American West. A graduate of UCLA with an MFA in film and television, Faye continues to craft compelling stories that blend history, mystery, and adventure.

Register to attend High Noon with Neal Cobb live on Zoom. Recordings of all past episodes are available on the library’s YouTube channel.