George Frederick Colton can be considered the father of Searchlight. His Searchlight claim, made on May 6, 1897, was the earliest claim of importance in what became the Searchlight Mining District, and he is also credited with providing the district's name, either from a popular brand of matches or from the need for a searchlight to find gold in the region. Colton's Searchlight Claim and New Years Gift Claim later became the Duplex Mine. The Duplex Mine was one of the important mines in the area, along with the larger Quartette Mine. Colton often leased the Duplex to others to work, but he never gave up ownership, and the mine continues today in family ownership.