LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Every day, Steve Darnell walks through what was once the main street of Goodsprings.
It’s like a tour through time, from a Ford garage that once delivered Model T cars in 1917 to where the general store once stood in the historic mining town.
Now, Darnell is working to bring that history back to life, transforming the property into a recreation of what Goodsprings looked like in its heyday.
“What I’m trying to do is when you’re coming down Spring Street, I want to try to recreate what the town was,” Darnell said.
Darnell has restored the original gas station and general store locations. He even brought in a 1920s Las Vegas jail that was once located in downtown Las Vegas.
Preserving Depression-era history
The project stems from Darnell’s passion for preserving history from the Great Depression and Industrial Revolution eras. On the property sits a 1934 car he describes as an original barn find.
“Most people shove them in a garage and just forget about them. Then, when it comes time to clean out the garage, they just go scrap them,” Darnell said. “That is a great year of history. A Great Depression car.”
Many of the artifacts Darnell displays were found on the property itself. A Schwartz Mercantile tire cover from the 1920s bears the name “Goodsprings, Nevada.”
“Anything that says Good Springs on it to me is priceless,” Darnell said.
Among his collection are automobile club road signs from the 1930s pointing to destinations like Death Valley Junction and Pahrump. Darnell said some of signs are one-of-a-kind.
“You got to think this sign sat two miles from Goodsprings somewhere down the road for probably 10 years or 20 years,” he said.
From treasure hunting to ownership
Darnell’s involvement with the property began seven or eight years ago when he approached Steve Fleming, the 83-year-old owner about potentially purchasing it.
“While I was out here, I was like, ‘hey, if you ever want to sell this place, let me know,’” Darnell said. “He said ‘I’m not going to be able to get to this like you will.’”
The two reached an agreement where Darnell promised to preserve the property and restore it to its original state. The deal meant abandoning another project Darnell had planned on property near Blue Diamond.
“I just abandoned all that,” Darnell said. “This is really what I wanted to do is come up here. I like the climate. It’s a little bit cooler up here. It’s a cool, little, quiet town. It’s got good mining history.”
Gaming connection draws visitors
The property has gained additional recognition as the starting location for the video game Fallout: New Vegas, which features Goodsprings and the Pioneer Saloon.
“The game starts here in Goodsprings, like actually in the video game,” Darnell said. “Good Springs, the Pioneer Saloon’s in it, and a lot of the old buildings and stuff like that.”
While Darnell admits the game is a bit past his era of entertainment, he appreciates how the game incorporates vintage items similar to those he’s collected on the property, including old televisions and radios found on site.
His efforts to pay homage to the game come ahead of the Fallout Fan Celebration held in Goodsprings, Nov. 14 to 16.
In general, Darnell plans to offer tours of the property, allowing visitors to see the restored buildings and artifacts.
“It’s work. It’s a lot of work,” Darnell said. “I guess it kind of takes the fun out of it a little bit, but when you accomplish it, when you finish something, then that’s when you reap the benefits off it.”
Copyright 2025 KVVU. All rights reserved.
