Around Ely, in the east of the state, are a number of ghost towns which grew up during the 19th century silver boom and were then abandoned. One of the best known of these is Hamilton, 45mi / 72km west. The White Pine Museum in Ely is informative on the area's silver-mining days.
Ely is located close to the Utah-Nevada border. It's a great
place to base yourself when touring the surrounding attractions. Some of these attractions include the Drugstore Soda Fountains, McGill Swimming Hole, Great Basin Raceway, and the Northern Nevada Railway Ghost Train among several others.