Old Tonopah Cemetery Walking Tour


The Old Tonopah Cemetery is located right next to the infamous Clown Motel, which adds to its allure (and for some, its creepiness).

Many fascinating people are buried in the Old Tonopah Cemetery, and they have some incredible stories.

Download a Walking Tour map, or pick one up at one of our hotels, museums, or the Tonopah Town Office.

Read their stories and use the historic map to find their graves, or just explore the over 300 graves found there.  Find a grave you are interested in learning more about?  Write down the name and date of death, then go to https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov to search some of the old newspapers online.  You can also head to the Central Nevada Museum here in Tonopah and use their fantastic research library.  Who knows what you might find! Make sure to let us know if you find an interesting story of your own!

The Walking Tour includes:

  • Bina Verrault, an incredible woman running from the law in New York City who ended up dying in Tonopah.  She currently haunts the Visitor’s Center at the Tonopah Historic Mining Park.
  • George “Devil” Davis – the first African American in Tonopah, a political leader, and an integral part of the community.  He was known for being a joker and a prankster, and is rumored to still be playing pranks at the Tonopah Liquor Company.
  • The Marojevich Brothers – both killed in a mine accident at the Belmont Mine.
  • Big Bill Murphy – our local hero, who was killed in the Belmont Mine Fire of 1911 while rescuing others.
  • Tom Logan – Tonopah’s Sheriff, a very popular man with a reputation for being honest and fair. Unarmed and wearing only his nightclothes, he was killed by an assailant outside a brothel in Manhattan, Nevada.
  • The Merten Brothers – Three brothers that died within 2 years of each other.  The town of Tonopah came together then, as it does now, to take care of the family left behind.

Enjoy exploring our amazing cemetery!  You may visit anytime during the day or night, and you are welcome to park in the Clown Motel parking lot.

We also created an Old Tonopah Cemetery Walking Tour video as a project with our local Tonopah High School. Check it out!