Fanning
Fanning began as a siding on the Southern Pacific Railroad following its realignment south of Brown's in 1902. In 1907, gold was located west of the siding by Peter Anderson and his son, A.M. Anderson, of Lovelock. In 1908, the Andersons' claims were worked by lessees and a white substance was found. A sample was sent to David Atkins of the Atolia Mining Company in Atolia, California, and it was determined to be scheelite, a tungsten ore. Atkins and his associates purchased and patented the claims and formed the St. Anthony Mines Company, a subsidiary of the Atolia Company.
Little work was done at the St. Anthony Mine until 1915, when the price of tungsten rose as a result of World War I. That year, 20 tons of scheelite was mined and shipped to Atolia. Also in 1915, a 75-ton concentrator was built at Fanning. The mine and mill operated until 1917, and again by lessees in 1918, when the price of tungsten dropped. Supposedly, the first shipment of ore from the Fanning mill was more than enough to pay for the cost of its development. Although the property was worked later on (see Toy), the mill never reopened and was dismantled in 1921. Fanning's name disappeared from the railroad by 1931.
Fanning was also the location of the burial of Paul Walters following the murder of Sheriff Mark Wildes (see Humboldt Ranch).
