Austin puts on fresh face for prospective tourist trade

Austin, set at the north end of the Toiyabe Range on Highway 50 in central Nevada, is getting a facelift, courtesy of four brothers with childhood roots in the historic town.

"We inherited some buildings and four years back began to remodel," says Phil Marshall, president of Silver Enterprises Inc.

The company has completely refurbished several old buildings, which now house a barbershop, restaurant, and the Silver State Saloon (dating to 1870). And a once vacant lot is now a computer-learning center with 12 computers and Wi-fi. "Austin now has high speed Internet," Marshall says.

Along with brothers Richard, Ken and David, he's also looking for grant money to put in a grocery store. Residents currently shop in Eureka, 72 miles away.

And, Silver Enterprises has applied to Nevada Department of Transportation for $660,000 in funding to build a town square to serve as a rest area and visitor's center on Main Street (Highway 50). It would feature an information kiosk, picnic tables and restrooms, a paved stone courtyard and a band stage.

Two burned-out buildings currently occupy the site and if the rest area is funded, the company will donate the land to the county, says Marshall. Construction would start next year. Hansel Morris Design Group of Pleasanton, Calif., will design the rest area.

The three-phase plan starts with a community activity center followed by the town square, lighting and landscaping on Main Street, and finally, landscaping throughout the town.

"We're filling in the holes, the burned buildings," says Marshall, who plans to replace them with new buildings, antique lighting and trees.

The brothers operate several companies in California, including a landscaping concern.

Although only Phil Marshall was born in Austin (actually in Battle Mountain, 90 miles away, as Austin has no hospital) the brothers spent summers in the mountain town while visiting their grandparents.