Comments on: Desolation Vacation: Mina, Nevada

By: S F

S F — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:11:10 +0000

Hey we have a response from Bill (hopefully the correct Bill!)
This is Suzie here, i am so glad to read that you are okay, please add me on Facebook, i would like to catch up with you, my ID: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1594274717 (or search for Susan pointon)

By: Noelle

Noelle — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 18:15:21 +0000

Ah, Mina. Such a strange little town. I have the oddest connection to it, too: an ancestor of mine owned and operated the Mina Hotel in the late 1800s; there’s an old thermometer in our house that says “Mina Hotel” and the proprietor’s name (I think his name was AJ Littell) on it. I’ve also driven from Reno to Vegas many times, so many of these sites are familiar to me.
For those curious: even though Mina is derived from a Spanish word (like Nevada is), locals pronounce it as if it were the English word “mine” with an “uh” at the end. :)

By: Rick OBRIEN

Rick OBRIEN — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 10:49:55 +0000

Hey, “lil” Bill,remember me? Helped put in the jacuzzi with your good buddy, Larry. Long time,no see. I’m gonna try to get to the El Crap on New Years…depends if I can scrounge up enough gas money, Construction isn’t what it used to be. Been a REAL struggle for the last 2 years. Glad to hear that you’re “still kickin”.You were chained to an O2 bottle last time we met.Gotta quit smokin’.E mail me @rickobrien58@verizon.net

By: LiL. Bill playmate

LiL. Bill playmate — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 05:27:10 +0000

I am still alive and kicking just not as high..The ranch is for sale I just can’t run it right now. And for those people that say they know the real story it’s not real at all they have me confused with the tourist.

By: S F

S F — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 01:15:04 +0000

Hi there,
I worked briefly at the playmate ranch in october of 2005, i left soon thereafter and next thing i hear is that Billhad disappeared and never to be heard of again, does anybody know what happened to him? He was a great guy and after all this time i would love to know that he is okay, he really looked after me out there and i really thought his business was going to be a success, what a loss…

By: joe

joe — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 01:53:50 +0000

hi I just wanted to say I like mina and i did bussiness in mina with Bill paymate he was a Gambler he owed mager taxes he sold billys day and night for 950000 lost it all in about 8mounths I just wanted to let you know the real story

By: Rick O'Brien

Rick O'Brien — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:24:11 +0000

The Playmate Ranch was closed almost as soon as it was opened. No one seems to know what happened to the owner ,Bill. The brothel next door though, has been there forever,formerly known as Billie’s Day & Night. Now,it’s the Wildkat Ranch. I helped Bill remodel the Wildkat when he was managing it & then he built the Playmate. It’s been empty ever since he disappeared. I’ve been told it’s for sale,but the permit process is major.

By: MIchelle

MIchelle — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:54:40 +0000

I lived in Mina for 7 months through 30 below winter months in 1990-91. I moved there with my ex-husband. His family lived there. then moved to Hawthorne 30 miles away. I got to know a lot of old timers that are long gone now. They longed for the big strike in the hills to revive the poor little town. The people are \real\. I still talk to a man that lives there. It is about the same now. People drift in and out of town, not unlike the tumble weeds. I miss it sometimes. There was always a new dirt road to check out, new cabins in the hills to explore, and wild mustangs running on the hillside. I have not been back for about 10 years thanks so much for the Pics. By the way my friend says the food is good at the Desert Lobster.

By: Ken

Ken — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:41:53 +0000

MOAR! (please) Your trevel pieces are wonderful.

By: kat

kat — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:12:38 +0000

Ransom Riggs you are by far my favorite writer on MentalFloss!

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