Entry Points:
About McGill
McGill is named for William N. McGill who had a ranch in the Steptoe Valley in the 1800s. The ranch even had a post office which was established in 1891. In 1906, McGill sold part of his ranch to the Steptoe Valley Mining and Smelter Company who commenced building a mill and smelter to process ores mined at Ruth, some distance to the west. They also built the town which they managed as a "company town". Gambling was prohibited and the town was segregated by nationality. The mill and smelter have long since been closed but the town lives on. McGill has a population of 1,148 as of the 2010 census.
McGill is located on the lower slopes of the Duck Creek Mountain Range, on the east side of Steptoe Valley. The mountains reach to over 9,000 feet and are covered in forests. Sagebrush is the dominant vegetation along the edges of the valley near town. Grassland covers the valley floor, and in springtime can bring a beautiful green tint to the landscape. U.S. Highway 93 passes through McGill, heading north to Lages Junction and Wells, and south to Ely. The elevation ranges from about 6,180 to 6,400 feet. The mill and smelter can still be seen on the slope above the town, and the tailings dump fills much of the valley to the west.
McGill is unincorporated.
For More Information:
See Wikipedia's McGill article.