Quietly waiting along U.S. Route 95 south of Las Vegas and toward the less expensive and more relaxed alternative of Laughlin, Nevada, sits a small, historic town seemingly frozen in time. Searchlight, Nevada, was once a thriving mining town, responsible for an influx of gold miners in the early 20th century. It’s also the hometown of an eight-time Academy Award winner who dressed the stars and eventually inspired an animated Disney character.
Searchlight was established in 1898, and there’s much speculation on how the town got its name. Many, including Searchlight native the late Senator Harry Reid, believe the name came from the town’s founder, George Frederick Colton. It’s said Colton once said in frustration that miners needed a searchlight to find the elusive gold ore buried beneath it. Following the discovery of gold in 1897 by Colton, the mining boom took off in 1902, and Searchlight became the largest town in the area with 44 working mines.
As with most gold mining towns, residents left when the mines stopped producing. However, one of those miners raised his daughter here. Edith Head started life modestly but soon became one of the best-known costume designers in Hollywood. She won eight Academy Awards and worked with stars like Lana Turner, Cary Grant, and Elizabeth Taylor. Her unique look and personality were the inspiration behind the animated Edna Mode in the Disney hit “The Incredibles.”
A surprising museum of mining and celebrity history
It’s easy to drive past Searchlight, especially if your destination is the glitzy shows and casinos of Las Vegas, the water sports in Laughlin, or the otherworldly red rock landmarks of Arizona. There are, after all, less than 500 residents here. But a stop at the Searchlight Museum can offer a glimpse of a historic town that celebrates its past, its mining, and its acclaimed celebrities…