Reilly was established on a mining claim purchased by Edward Reilly of New York in September 1882. By October, he had ordered a 10 stamp mill and begun to organize his mining district. The rapidly growing company town soon supported a boarding house, general store, and blacksmith shop, and in January 1883 the Reilly Post Office began mail service. More than 32 buildings have been recorded at the site, and it is estimated that more than 60 people probably worked and lived there at its peak. To supply water to operate the mill and support the town, a pipeline was constructed from Water Canyon more than 5 miles away. In September 1883 the stamp mill finally arrived, was fired up, and promptly broke down when a water pump failed. By then the population had shrunk to 16 workers, and the post office closed the following October. Investors poured more than $200,000 into Reilly and produced only $21,500 in silver bullion during the mill's 18 months of operation. In March 1885 the mill was closed and sold. The mill was named after Charles Anthony, who later filed claims in Pleasant Canyon in the Panamint Mountains, and he may have overseen the construction and operation of the stamp mill. The Reilly townsite provides a window into the life of a typical California desert boom-and-bust mining town.