Tonopah’s historic Mizpah Hotel to go on auction block

The Mizpah Hotel, the most famous building in Tonopah, always subject to comment and speculation as motorists roll through the old mining town en route to Reno or Las Vegas, is set to be auctioned Sept. 16, according to the Tonopah Times-Bonanza.

The five-story Victorian-style hotel, named for one of the silver mines that put Tonopah on the map, opened in 1908 and was the state's tallest building at the time. It has been closed since 2000, struggling for many years before that as various owners tried to make a go of it. A major renovation in 1976 led to a brief period of viability but as Tonopah fell on hard times, so did the hotel.

Nevada historians know the Mizpah as a reason they get headaches. Over the decades, various owners have tried to drum up business by linking the hotel to famous historical figures such as Wyatt Earp, Jack Dempsey and Howard Hughes. According to an article by retired Nevada Archivist Guy Rocha, these stories either are untrue or cannot be verified. In the case of Hughes, the Mizpah has marketed itself in the past as the place where the reclusive billionaire secretly married actress Jean Peters in 1957. In fact, the five-minute marriage ceremony occurred at the nearby L&L Motel, which was razed just a few years ago.

The Mizpah also allegedly has a ghost. According to the Haunted Nevada website, the "Lady in Red," supposedly a prostitute, resides on the fifth floor. She "was the victim of a jealous boyfriend who strangled her."

The hotel has been for sale for several years, with an initial asking price of $1.6 milion lowered to $1 million, with no takers. You gotta expect the high bidder at the auction could end up landing the property for much less than $1 million.

The Mizpah has 56 rooms and six suites, a 3,000-square-foot casino space, two restaurants and two bars. It fronts the main drag — U.S. 95 — in Tonopah. Inspection of the Mizpah before the auction can be arranged through Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Northeast Sales Inc. by calling 260-908-6155.

Who will be interested in taking ownership of the Mizpah? Clearly, no one's been real interested lately. But for the right price, one could imagine someone like Las Vegas car dealer Jim Marsh snapping it up. Marsh, a Nevada history buff, operates at least two businesses in Tonopah as well as businesses in other rural areas.