Ruby was a much bigger town than today. The large white buildings in the center of the picture is the NCC store and warehouses. At the bottom of the photo is a lumber yard (Ruby had two). The business district is at the upper left near the river. My research indicates at it's peak there were close to 3,000 residents. By 1918 Ruby began to decline. Many men had left for the war. Mining machinery was taken over by the government for the war effort causing mining to all but cease.
Summer 2006
Most of old Ruby is now gone. A fire in 1929 destroyed much of the downtown business district then a flood in 1931 washed away what was left of the buildings on front street. Today Ruby has less than 200 residents.