Gabbs, Nevada

Gabbs was one of the smallest incorporated cities in Nevada until it became disincorporated, effective May 8, 2001. The city was originally founded by Basic Magnesium Inc. in December, 1941. Basic Magnesium operated a magnesium processing plant in the area. Demand for magnesium during World War II fueled initial growth of the town but that plant was closed in September 1944 when the government figured enough magnesium had been produced to last the rest of the projected war. There was an earlier mining camp named Brucite located here but the new town took the name from Gabbs Valley, itself named for William Gabb, a paleontologist who made extensive studies of fossil specimens found in the area.

When Basic Magnesium pulled the plug, the population started to drop but revived after 1955 when Basic Refractories opened a new magnesium production plant. The population peaked at about 796 in 1960 but then Basic Refractories laid off half their work force in 1962. A gold mine on nearby Paradise Peak brought some folks back in the 1980's and early 1990's but that mine closed in 1994. Since then, Gabbs has slowly declined but has managed to maintain schools, some stores and quite a few homes. And maybe half the folks still make their living around mining and magnesium production.

23 miles east of Gabbs is the Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park.