What Do 500 Miners Leave Behind? Answer: A Lot Of Equipment And 13 Miles Of Underground Workings!

What a treat it was for us to explore this private mine camp and some of the 13 miles of underground workings. What’s left behind is pretty amazing. This is primarily a silver and copper mine that was first discovered in the 1860s. It was worked for 100 years before it finally shut down. At one time, there were as many as 500 miners working here. The nearby town that sprung up four miles away included five stores, eight saloons, two hotels, restaurants, three stables, a lodging house, butcher and barber shops, a blacksmith, and a post office. In 1872, a furnace was built in the town to treat silver ore from the mine. In 1880, a five stamp mill was built there. At the mine site, there is a 1000’ deep shaft, covered trestle, intact hoist room, assayers office, three huge air compressors, tool shop, auto shop, change room, and showers. There are also several small houses and a school here. In 1914, an aerial tram was built to haul ore over the top of the mountain, where it was taken by narrow gauge