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Pioche, Nevada · Built 1872

Million Dollar Courthouse

HauntedOpen to the public

Old Lincoln County Courthouse, 1940 · W. Bailey (HABS), public domain

Facts below are drawn from the linked sources.

Real history

Travel Nevada says Pioche became the Lincoln County seat in 1871. The on-site historical marker says a budget of $26,400 was set in 1872, but the contract was broken and costs grew through bonds. The total topped $800,000 and was paid off in 1938, two years after the building was condemned in 1936 (Lincoln County Courthouse marker). The popular figure of close to $1 million gave it its nickname. Sources differ: Lincoln County tourism says the final payment was made in 1937, four years after the building was condemned, and gives a total of nearly $1,000,000 (Lincoln County tourism).

The building sat in disrepair for almost 40 years before it was restored as a museum, and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 (Travel Nevada).

Ghost stories

These are reported legends, not verified events. The creepiness score (1–5) is Spook Atlas's own editorial rating, not a measurement.

The moving jury Our creepiness rating 💀💀💀💀💀
Travel Nevada, the state tourism office, says staff of the Lincoln County Historical Museum, which runs the building, have found the courtroom mannequins in different positions in the morning than they left them the night before. Source: Travel Nevada.
Ghost-hunting nights Our creepiness rating 💀💀💀💀💀
In 2023 local volunteers ran paranormal investigation sessions in the building, from the sheriff's office to the second-floor jail cells, billing it as one of Pioche's most "reportedly haunted" buildings. Source: Lincoln County Record, 2023.

Then and now

Two-story brick courthouse with arched windows, photographed in 1940
Then: The old Lincoln County Courthouse, 1940. Photo: W. Bailey, Historic American Buildings Survey, Public domain. Wikimedia Commons

Public access

Open to the public Travel Nevada lists it as open daily from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with free admission (Travel Nevada). Last checked: Oct 31, 2026.

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