Pioche, a mining town from the late 1860s and one of the most intact historic communities in Southern Nevada, was named for Francois L.A. Pioche, a San Francisco financier who, with partners, acquired some of the earliest claims in the area. The town grew quickly, and its isolation fostered a lawlessness as famous as its mines. The many murders in the area led to the creation of Boot Hill, the earliest cemetery in Pioche. There were six deaths from lead poisoning in town before the first person died of natural causes, and the cemetery was in active use during the boom years. Although religious and fraternal cemeteries were later created, Boot Hill continued to be used for many years and, though still in use today, remains part of Pioche’s history.