A rural gem
There is so much heart in the town of Eureka, Nevada
It doesn't take a lot of searching to find the heart of Eureka. The small rural town in Nevada is full of life, with an opera house, a museum, a courthouse and a booming arts community.
Andrea Rossman is the cultural, tourism and economic development director for the County of Eureka, and she said the best thing about Eureka is the fact that it's untouched.
"The heart of this mining town is the old buildings, main street and the uniqueness of it all," said Rossman. "The fact that it hasn't been overly commercialized and still has a lot of the same historical integrity it's had for years is a big thing for us and visitors alike."
The courthouse in downtown Eureka is a source of pride for residents.
"The courthouse is one of the anchors in our community," Rossman said. "It's beautiful with its tin ceilings and lots of wonderful woodwork on the outside. They still have court there as well, which is fantastic."
A huge part of the town, though, is the Eureka Opera House; this facility is used for meetings and conventions, as well as performances. Rossman said performances happen once a month at the opera house; audiences are treated to everything from Celtic music and country music to theatrical performances. An upcoming event in September of 2012 is the Mozilla Children's Festival, which is a weeklong interactive production for the schoolchildren in the area.
Finally, the residents of Eureka are very proud of their museum, which is housed in the old newspaper building. The museum features all sorts of wonderful exhibits, including printing presses from the turn of the century.
"The biggest thing about coming to Eureka is the feel," said Rossman. "We sit at 6,500 feet and it's really about the esthetic beauty of our environment. There are lots of outdoor activities, including horseback riding, hiking trails and places to take your mountain bike or tour around on a motocross bike. Eureka offers fresh, clean air and not a lot of traffic—so for city dwellers, this is a perfect escape along Highway 50."
