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40-420: Tonopah Bombing Range was the original southern Nevada military area designated in 1940 ( cf. the current Nevada Test and Training Range ) and may refer to: Tonopah General Range , the smaller 1941 area designated when the "Tonopah Gunnery and Bombing Range" was divided (cf. Las Vegas General Area) Tonopah Army Air Field , the range's main base first manned by

80-510: A burro that had wandered off during the night and sought shelter near a rock outcropping. When Butler discovered the animal the next morning, he picked up a rock to throw at it in frustration, noticing that the rock was unusually heavy. He had stumbled upon the second-richest silver strike in Nevada history. However, this commonly-told story is likely apocryphal. Butler was married to a local Paiute woman named Belle -- her family guided Butler to

120-408: A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck 35 miles (56 km) west of Tonopah, followed by a series of aftershocks , the largest of which was a magnitude 5.1. However, no injuries were reported. It was the largest earthquake in Nevada since 1954. The founder, Jim Butler, named the settlement from what is thought to be a Shoshoni language word, pronounced "TOE-nuh-pah." Although the town previously had

160-583: A nuclear bomb test site, a bombing range, and a base of operations for the development of the F-117 Nighthawk . In 2014, California-based solar energy company SolarReserve completed construction on a $ 980 million advanced solar energy project near Tonopah. The Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project uses liquid sodium as a heat transfer medium for its solar energy storage technology. The plant began producing power in November 2015. On May 15, 2020,

200-470: A banker and several players. Winning or losing occurs when cards turned up by the banker match those already exposed. It is not a direct relative of poker , but Faro was often just as popular due to its fast action, easy-to-learn rules, and better odds than most games of chance. The game of Faro is played with only one deck of cards and admits any number of players. Popular in North America during

240-490: A card was played, either winning or losing, one of four counters would be moved to indicate that a card of that denomination had been played. This allowed players to plan their bets by keeping track of what cards remained available in the dealing box. The operator of the case keep is called the "casekeeper" or, colloquially in the American West, the "coffin driver". To give themselves more of an advantage, and to counter

280-411: A copper. This was known as "coppering" the bet, and reversed the meaning of the win/loss piles for that particular bet. Players also had the choice of betting on the "high card" bar located at the top of the layout. Certain advantages were reserved to the banker: if he drew a doublet, that is, two equal cards, he won half of the stakes upon the card which equaled the doublet. In a fair game, this provided

320-523: A derivative of Basset, before it too was outlawed. After the French ban, Pharaoh and Basset continued to be widely played in England during the 18th century, where it was known as Pharo , an English alternate spelling of Pharaoh . The game was easy to learn, quick, and when played honestly, the odds for a player were considered by some to be the best of all gambling games, as Gilly Williams records in

360-557: A few Las Vegas and Reno casinos through 1985. Historians have suggested that the name Pharaon comes from Louis XIV's royal gamblers, who chose the name from the motif that commonly adorned one of the French-made court cards . A game of faro was often called a "faro bank". It was played with an entire deck of playing cards. One person was designated the "banker" and an indeterminate number of players, known as "punters", could be admitted. Chips (called "checks") were purchased by

400-654: A letter to George Selwyn in 1752. With its name shortened to Faro , it spread to the United States in the 19th century to become the most widespread and popularly favored gambling game. It was played in almost every gambling hall in the Old West from 1825 to 1915. Faro could be played in over 150 places in Washington, D.C. alone during the American Civil War . An 1882 study considered faro to be

440-545: A percentage of mine yield) miners with friend Nick Abelman, and bought existing mines. By the time the partners moved to Goldfield, Nevada and made their Goldfield Consolidated Mining Company a public corporation in 1906, Nixon and Wingfield were worth more than $ 30 million. Wingfield believed that the end of the gold and silver mining production was coming and took his bankroll to Reno, where he invested heavily in real estate and casinos. Real estate and gaming became big business throughout Central Nevada. By 1910, gold production

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480-470: A picture of a tiger in their windows to advertise that a game could be played there. Faro's detractors regarded it as a dangerous scam that destroyed families and reduced men to poverty because of rampant rigging of the dealing box. Crooked faro equipment was so popular that many sporting-house companies began to supply gaffed dealing boxes specially designed so that the bankers could cheat their players; methods of cheating in faro are detailed below. Cheating

520-410: A standardized betting "layout". Each player laid his stake on one of the 13 cards on the layout. Players could place multiple bets and could bet on multiple cards simultaneously by placing their bet between cards or on specific card edges. A player could reverse the intent of his bet by placing a hexagonal (6-sided) token called a "copper" on it. Some histories said a penny was sometimes used in place of

560-766: A variety of names, including Butler City, Jim Butler's name has survived. According to local history, the name is said to mean "hidden spring". Linguistically, the name derives from either Shoshone to-nuv ( greasewood ), or Northern Paiute to-nav (greasewood), and pa, meaning water in both dialects. Tonopah has an arid, cold desert climate ( Köppen BWk ) with cool winters and hot summers. Due to Tonopah’s aridity and high altitude, daily temperature ranges are quite large and lows in winter are similar to many continental climates . Nights are cool, even in summer. There are an average of 50.3 afternoons with highs at or above 90 °F or 32.2 °C, 157.8 mornings with lows of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower, 7.6 afternoons where

600-406: Is 16.8 inches or 0.43 metres, though even in winter the median snow depth is zero and the maximum recorded only 13 inches (0.33 m) on February 11, 1968. The most snowfall in one year was 79.3 inches (2.01 m) from July 1946 to June 1947, including 37.0 inches (0.94 m) in November 1946. As of the census of 2000, there were 2,627 people, 1,109 households, and 672 families residing in

640-434: Is located at the junction of U.S. Routes 6 and 95 , approximately midway between Las Vegas and Reno . In the 2010 census , the population was 2,478. The census-designated place (CDP) of Tonopah has a total area of 16.2 square miles (42 km ), all land. The American community began circa 1900 with the discovery of silver-rich ore by prospector Jim Butler. The legendary tale of discovery says that he went looking for

680-458: Is provided by Salt Lake Express. Tonopah is twinned with the following towns: Notes Further reading Faro (card game) Faro ( / ˈ f ɛər oʊ / FAIR -oh ), Pharaoh , Pharao , or Farobank is a late 17th-century French gambling game using cards . It is descended from Basset , and belongs to the Lansquenet and Monte Bank family of games due to the use of

720-474: Is roughly the same for each month at about 0.3 inches (7.6 mm) to 0.5 inches (12.7 mm) per month. The wettest calendar year was 1978 with 10.64 in (270 mm) and the driest 2020 with 1.95 in (50 mm). The most precipitation in one month was 3.46 inches (87.9 mm) in August 2023. The most precipitation in 24 hours was 2.55 inches (64.8 mm) on August 20, 2023. Average annual snowfall

760-607: Is the Yomba Band of the Yomba Shoshone Tribe of the Yomba Reservation , a federally recognized band of Western Shoshone people. The Western Shoshone dominated most of Nevada at the time of American settlement in the 1860s. Since the late 20th century, Tonopah has relied on the nearby military Tonopah Test Range as its main source of employment. The military has used the range and surrounding areas as

800-501: The 1942 "Bombing and Gunnery Range Detachment" Tonopah Bombing and Gunnery Range , the 1947 designation prior to the 1949 merger of the 2 areas (cf. Las Vegas Bombing and Gunnery Range) Tonopah Air Force Base , the name of the range's main base after c.  1947 transfer to the USAF Tonopah Test Range , a 1956 area established for nuclear testing (cf. the "instrumented AEC range at Tonopah" used by

840-481: The 19th century, Faro was eventually overtaken by poker as the preferred card game of gamblers in the early 20th century. Variants include German Faro , Jewish Faro , and Ladies' Faro . The earliest references to a card game named Pharaon (French for "Pharaoh") are found in Southwestern France during the reign of Louis XIV . Basset was outlawed in 1691, and Pharaoh emerged several years later as

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880-476: The CDP. The population density was 162.1 inhabitants per square mile (62.6/km ). There were 1,561 housing units at an average density of 96.3 per square mile (37.2/km ). The racial makeup of the CDP was 91.24% White , 1.41% Native American , 0.76% African American , 0.42% Asian , 0.30% Pacific Islander , 2.82% from other races , and 3.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 6.17% of

920-450: The Navy in 1957.) Tonopah Bombing Range (FUDS) , the area of the former AFB and the portion of the 1940 range that are outside of the current range [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles about distinct geographical locations with the same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to

960-762: The Tonopah Club, into taking him in as a partner and filing for a gaming license. In 1903, miners rioted against Chinese workers in Tonopah. This resulted in China enforcing a boycott in China of U.S. imported goods. By 1904, after investing his winnings in the Boston-Tonopah Mining Company, Wingfield was worth $ 2 million. When old friend George S. Nixon , a banker, arrived in town, Wingfield invested in his Nye County Bank. They grub-staked (provided with food, supplies and tools in an exchange for

1000-399: The area long known by indigenous peoples for its surface minerals. Men of wealth and power entered the region to consolidate the mines and reinvest their profits into the infrastructure of the town of Tonopah. George Wingfield , a 24-year-old poker player when he arrived in Tonopah, played poker and dealt faro in the town saloons. Once he had a small bankroll, he talked Jack Carey, owner of

1040-399: The average family size was 3.03. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 27.1% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.3 males. For every 100 women age 18 and over, there were 105.9 men. The median income for a household in the CDP

1080-686: The backroads so I wouldn't get weighed. In the early 21st century, Tonopah is served by two U.S. Highways , Routes 6 and 95 . There is no rail service. General aviation facilities are located at nearby Tonopah Airport . The nearest airport with scheduled passenger service is Mammoth Yosemite Airport , about 100 miles (160 km) away. The nearest major airports are Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas , and Reno–Tahoe International Airport in Reno , each more than 200 miles (320 km) away. Daily bus service between Las Vegas, Tonopah, and Reno

1120-527: The game was also referred to as Pitje-Patje (= "money" + "small heaps"). In the US, Faro was also called "bucking the tiger" or "twisting the tiger's tail", a reference to early card backs that featured a drawing of a Bengal tiger. By the mid 19th century, the tiger was so commonly associated with the game that gambling districts where faro was popular became known as "tiger town", or in the case of smaller venues, "tiger alley". Some gambling houses would simply hang

1160-604: The hard-rock ore for milling and refining. As the railroad lines were reduced with the decline of mining and restructuring of railroads in the late 20th century, 18-wheelers became the dominant method of moving freight. Tonopah took on a new identity as an extreme freight destination. The chorus of the song "Willin'" by Lowell George of Little Feat on the albums Little Feat , Sailin' Shoes , and Waiting for Columbus refers to Tonopah, Nevada: And I've been from Tucson to Tucumcari , Tehachapi to Tonopah. I've driven every kind of rig that's ever been made; driven

1200-458: The high does not top freezing and 1.7 mornings with lows below 0 °F or −17.8 °C. The record high temperature in Tonopah was 104 °F (40 °C) on July 18, 1960, and the record low −15 °F (−26.1 °C) on January 24, 1937 and January 23, 1962. There are an average of 38 days with measurable precipitation and about 5.14 inches (130.6 mm) of precipitation that falls each year. The amount of minimal precipitation that does fall

1240-537: The intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tonopah_Bombing_Range&oldid=933487901 " Categories : Place name disambiguation pages Bombing ranges Installations of the United States Army Air Forces Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Tonopah, Nevada Tonopah

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1280-600: The losses from players cheating, dealers would also often cheat. In a fair game the house's edge was low, so dealers increasingly resorted to cheating the players to increase the profitability of the game for the house. This, too, was acknowledged by Hoyle editors when describing how faro banks were opened and operated: "To justify the initial expenditure, a dealer must have some permanent advantage." Dealers employed several methods of cheating: Players would routinely cheat as well. Their techniques employed distraction and sleight-of-hand, and usually involved moving their stake to

1320-498: The most popular form of gambling, surpassing all others forms combined in terms of money wagered each year. It was also widespread in the German states during the 19th century, where it was known as Pharao or Pharo . A simplified version played with 32 German-suited cards was known as Deutsches Pharao ("German Pharo") or Süßmilch ("Sweet Milk"). It is recorded in card game compendia from at least 1810 to 1975. In Low German

1360-482: The only "house edge". If the banker drew the last card of the pack, he was exempt from doubling the stakes deposited on that card. These and the advantage from the odds on the turn bet provided a slight financial advantage to the dealer or house. A device, called a "casekeep" was employed to assist the players and prevent dealer cheating by counting cards. The casekeep resembled an abacus , with one spindle for each card denomination, with four counters on each spindle. As

1400-408: The population. There were 1,109 households, out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and

1440-459: The precious-metal fields for freight service led to construction of a network of local railroad lines across the Nevada desert to Tonopah. Examples include the Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad , the Tonopah and Goldfield Railroad , and the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad . Coal was hauled to the silver mines to power mine operations and also the stamp mills built in and around Tonopah to break apart

1480-404: The punter from the banker (or house) from which the game originated. Bet values and limits were set by the house. Usual check values in the US were 50 cents to $ 10 each. The faro table was typically oval, covered with green baize , and had a cutout for the banker. A board was placed on top of the table with one suit of cards (traditionally spades ) pasted to it in numerical order, representing

1520-409: Was $ 37,401, and the median income for a family was $ 47,917. Males had a median income of $ 40,018 versus $ 22,056 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $ 18,256. About 5.7% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 7.3% of those under age 18 and 19.1% of those age 65 or over. During the silver bonanza of the first decade of the 20th century, the need in

1560-618: Was falling, and by 1920, the town of Tonopah had less than half the population it had fifteen years earlier. Small mining ventures continued to provide income for local miners and the small town struggled on. Located about halfway between Reno and Las Vegas, it has supported travelers as a stopover and rest spot on a lonely highway. Today the Tonopah Station has slots and the Banc Club also offers some gaming. Also in Nye County

1600-512: Was so prevalent that editions of Hoyle's Rules of Games began their faro section by warning readers that not a single honest faro bank could be found in the United States. Criminal prosecutions of faro were involved in the Supreme Court cases of United States v. Simms , 5 U.S. (1 Cranch) 252 (1803), and Ex parte Milburn , 34 U.S. (9 Pet.) 704 (1835). Although the game became scarce after World War II , it continued to be played at

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