Straddling the dusty edge of Utah and Nevada once stood a town built on gold, silver, and second chances—Stateline. For a moment at the turn of the 19th century, it boomed with promise: saloons rang with laughter, miners dreamed of fortune, and the frontier pulsed with life. But like so many Wild West towns, its glory was short-lived.
In this episode of What Once Was, we journey into Stateline’s heyday and explore its downfall downfall. You’ll hear tales of shootouts, lawmen and the everyday people that called this town home. Through immersive sound design and historically grounded storytelling, we bring this ghost town back to life—if only for a moment.
Because sometimes, the loudest echoes come from places long abandoned.
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The stories I share are based on old records, newspapers, local legends, and oral histories. While I do my best to tell them truthfully, some details may be lost to time.
Please remember—many of the places we mention are on private land. Don’t trespass or go exploring without permission. Let’s keep history alive without disturbing what’s left of it.
Intro music is "A Calm Hellfire" by the Wayward Hearts
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