Swansea
Swansea, named for the city in Wales, was one of the several camps that emerged during the rush to White Pine. The first discoveries were made in November 1868, with a townsite soon laid out in the hopes of becoming a milling and smelting center. By mid-1869, 300 people and three smelters called Swansea home, and the 8-stamp Vernon Mill went into operation in July. By fall, the population peaked at 500 with the addition of two more smelters and even a brewery.
Swansea's less preferable location to Shermantown, just ¾ of a mile away, soon became its downfall. Most businesses opted for the other town, which quickly grew and soon effectively annexed Swansea. As the district declined in the early 1870s, however, Swansea too died. It was completely abandoned by 1875. Its location is prone to heavy washouts, and only faint rock ruins can be found.
