DEATH VALLEY MINE
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DEATH VALLEY MINE |
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NAME: Death Valley Mine COUNTY: San Bernardino ROADS: 2WD GRID: 1 CLIMATE: Mojave Desert Location. Hot summer. BEST TIME TO VISIT: Not the summer. |
COMMENTS:
Near Cima east of the tracks in the Mojave National Preserve on the North East Slope of the New York Mountains among the Joshua trees. The site has a locked gate. 2WD if approached from the west, 4WD recommended if approaching from the south. REMAINS: Many Buildings and artifacts |
The Death Valley Mine was discovered in 1906 by J. L. Bright of Kelso. In July, 1906, the Death Valley Gold Milling and Mining Company of Denver took over the mine, and by September, 1906, the camp of Dawson had sprung into existence, named after the directors of the company, the Dawson brothers. The first shipment of ore left during that month, consisting of several wagons full of ore hauled to Cima by a team of 12 horses. From Cima the ore went on the Salt Lake Railroad and California Eastern (over what is now the Lanfair road to Goffs) to the Needles smelter. In January, 1907, the Death Valley Company made its first ore shipment to the American Smelting and Refining Company in Salt Lake. During September 1907, the Death Valley and Arcalvada companies merged to form the Death Valley Arcalvada Consolidated Mining Company, and by November there were 75 men employed. The mines were quite busy until June, 1908, when the company became involved in litigation which was not cleared up until 1915, although some mining continued throughout this period. In 1915 a new owner took over the property, and these operations continued until 1921. Water was pumped from the shafts until June 11, 1927, when the plant and mill were destroyed by fire. The shafts are reported to contain hundreds of bird and small mammal skeletons, during hot weather, the animals had apparently worked their way down fissures in the collapsed shaft, following the scent of moisture. Groups of skeletons lay pointed at puddles; they could enter the mine to drink sulfate-rich water, but could not climb out. The mine had produced about $131,000, $93,000 before 1915. In 1930, there was a camp that could accommodate 100 men, a thirty-ton concentration plant and a 6-room residence. Death Valley Mine would be revived one last time in the 1950’s before fading into the ghost which it is today. The large residence still stands, as do other buildings, headframes, ore crushers and quite a lot of scattered artifacts, most from the 50’s.
Submitted by: Bill Cook |
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