Ruby, initially called Lincoln Creek due to its location in the Lincoln Mining district, was established in the 1890s in Lincoln Gulch. In the early 1900s, the Ruby Mining and Development Company acquired claims, leading to the construction of a boarding house and mill. Prior to the construction of a wagon road in 1906, all ore was transported via pack trains. The town experienced growth until approximately 1912 when it began to decline primarily due to poor roads, market conditions, and isolation.