Empire is an unincorporated town in Washoe County, Nevada. Until 2011, when the United States Gypsum Corporation closed, Empire was a company town, with all of its residents working for USG, and the company owning the buildings and properties. The gypsum mine in Empire was one of the longest continually operating mines in the United States, in operation from 1923 to 2011. At its peak, the town had a population of 750, since becoming essentially a ghost town. Although approximately two hundred people remained in the town at the time of the 2010 census, its post office has been discontinued. The week-long annual Burning Man festival is held nearby, and the Black Rock Desert also provides recreational activities.
Recommended Resources
The location, runway information, and information about airport operations, communications, ownership, management, and operational statistics for the airport in Empire, Nevada are put forward.
http://www.airnav.com/airport/1A8
Located in Empire, about five miles south of Gerlach, Nevada, the Empire Store opened in 1957, and is open seven days a week. Photographs of the store are featured.
http://visitgerlach.com/empire-store/
Empire, Nevada Completely Wiped Out By Recession
Published on August 21, 2011, the Huffington Post reports on the closure of the U.S. Gypsum Company, which had been in operation since 1923, and the likely effects this will have on the company town, located in Washoe County, near the California border.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/21/empire-nevada-recession_n_881816.html
Empire: The Death of a Nevada Company Town
The Las Vegas Review-Journal published this story on June 12, 2011, reporting on the closure of the U.S. Gypsum Company, which had been turning gypsum into sheetrock since 1923, and the effects that its closure will have on the town.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/nevada-and-west/empire-death-nevada-company-town
