Horse Heaven - Oregon Ghost Town

HORSE HEAVEN

NAME: Horse Heaven
COUNTY: Jefferson
ROADS: 2WD
GRID: 2
CLIMATE: Cool winter, warm summer
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Anytime.

COMMENTS: Horse Heaven is located on a narrow gravel road at the top of the divide between Cherry Creek and Muddy Creek, about 15 miles east of Ashwood. UPDATE: I drove by Horse Heaven, Oregon on 1/27/01. I say drove by because it is all fenced off with barbed wire, has many "NO TRESPASSING" signs, and a large meen looking guard dog. This was especially frustrating since I nearly got stuck or slide off the steep narrow and increadably muddy road several times. If I had gone off the road in many of the places my wife and I would have been killled. This is definintly NOT a road for two wheel drive cars as stated in your website. With my jeep cherokee in four low I was often lucky to be able to go 10 MPH. UPDATE: Visited Horse Heaven 2/25/2013. Road has been recently reworked but with dirt. Wouldn't bother to drive when wet. Came from Painted Hills - 17 miles from end of pavement. Area is still fenced but no signs of any kind. There is quite a large trash midden just before the site - mostly tin cans.UPDATE 2015 Please note that as of March, 2015, most of the remaining structures at what was left of the townsite have burned down. While the mine head and a few other items remain, none of the buildings visible from the road are still standing. From what I could see, it looks as if they were involved in a wildfire in the summer/fall of 2014. Interestingly, the large propane tank didn't even get singed.-Michelle Fries
REMAINS: Cemetary and a few buildings.

Horse Heaven began its life in 1933 when cinnabar was discovered by two prospectors. Cinnabar (or mercury sulphide) turns bright red when wet and yields mercury when heated. Much of the camp's buildings are still visible and the area of the mine holds many remnants from its heyday. By the time the mine was closed, tunnels of up to 1400 feet long on 10 levels had been dug. Pictured is the entrance to the mine and an ore car. The track for the car still remains, as with the furnaces used to roast the cinnabar. The white rock in the photos is the ore from which cinnabar is extracted. A lone prospector still works the area in search of a rumoured deposit. Many years ago, an old miner discovered the "richest deposit in the area" and left temporarily to go file a claim. Upon returning, he could not find the exact location of his find. He died still searching for it. Submitted by Darren Bernaerdt from Deserted Lands.	Horse Heaven Ore Car Courtesy Darren Bernaerdt Horse Heaven Mine Courtesy Darren Bernaerdt Horse Heaven Courtesy Ray DeBaun Horse Heaven Courtesy Ray DeBaun Horse Heaven Courtesy Ray DeBaun

Horse Heaven began its life in 1933 when cinnabar was discovered by two prospectors. Cinnabar (or mercury sulphide) turns bright red when wet and yields mercury when heated. Much of the camp's buildings are still visible and the area of the mine holds many remnants from its heyday. By the time the mine was closed, tunnels of up to 1400 feet long on 10 levels had been dug. Pictured is the entrance to the mine and an ore car. The track for the car still remains, as with the furnaces used to roast the cinnabar. The white rock in the photos is the ore from which cinnabar is extracted. A lone prospector still works the area in search of a rumoured deposit. Many years ago, an old miner discovered the "richest deposit in the area" and left temporarily to go file a claim. Upon returning, he could not find the exact location of his find. He died still searching for it. Submitted by Darren Bernaerdt from Deserted Lands.

Horse Heaven Ore Car
Courtesy Darren Bernaerdt

Horse Heaven Mine
Courtesy Darren Bernaerdt

Horse Heaven
Courtesy Ray DeBaun

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