Ely: Nevada's boomtown of the '90s by Mark LaPointe,Outpost Staff In this package: Hwy 50 - only lonely if still Fallon - gateway to 50 Austin - nostalgic past Eureka - Hwy 50 high point Baker and Great Basin N.P.   Climbing past Eureka into Nevada's eastern hills, travelers face another long, lonely stretch of road as they head toward Ely, the largest town in the Eastern Nevada and the last stopping off place for fast-food, supermarkets and large hotels. Currently undergoing a boom, Ely boasts of more than 9,000 residents and 600 hotel rooms. Copper is the impetus for this town's fast growth. In addition to being a modern mining community, Ely is also the central hub for a region of outdoor recreational opportunities and historic sites. Cave Lake State Recreation Area and Ward Charcoal Ovens Historic State Monument are just two of the many nearby attractions. The Northern Nevada Railroad Museum houses a wonderful monument to America's railway past. Photo courtesy of Nevada Commission on Tourism At Ward Charcoal State Monument you'll find beehive-shaped, 30-foot high stone ovens. These ovens were built to provide fuel for smelters working in the local mining industry. You can reach the monument by following U.S. Highway 50 15 miles southeast of Ely and watching for the well-marked dirt turnoff. Ely is also the home of Nevada's Northern Railway Museum. Located in downtown Ely, the museum offers visitors tours of a late 19th century railroad complex. The Ely chamber of commerce says that the museum offers one of the best preserved short line railroads in the world.         copyright 12/11/97 Nevada Outpost http://www.jour.unr.edu/outpost Nevada Outpost is produced by students at the Reynolds School of Journalism, University of Nevada, Reno Copyright 1999 Nevada Outpost http://www.jour.unr.edu/outpost  TOP