The image above illustrates the incredible scale of the mining regions of the western United States. Yellow dots are gold mines, black dots are non-gold mines. Map icons show the distribution of historic mining towns. An interactive version of this map is available here.
Featured Mining Town: Shermantown, Nevada
Shermantown was one of the first three settlements founded in 1868 during the White Pine silver rush. Established as a milling center for the Treasure Hill mines, its site was chosen not only for its proximity to the mining operations but also for its comparatively mild, wind-sheltered climate and dependable water supply. Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Ironton, Colorado
Ironton, Colorado was an important transportation hub and mining camp in southwest Colorado's Red Mountain district. The town had its best years before 1893, but continued to be a viable settlement until the 1920s. Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Kingston, New Mexico
When rich silver ore was discovered in the hills of southwestern New Mexico in the fall of 1882, the response was immediate and overwhelming. Kingston materialized in the canyon below almost overnight, and within two months thousands of fortune seekers had transformed a remote wilderness into one of the busiest towns in the territory. Continue Reading
Where To Find Gold: The Top Ten US Counties
Evaluating the top counties for their potential for gold discovery can be done by examining several important factors, including historical production, modern mining activity, availability of water, and whether land is open to prospecting. One effective way to consider all of these factors at once is to follow the footsteps of modern experts in the field, the miners and prospectors who are already finding gold. Continue Reading
The White Pine Silver Rush
Deep in what was a vast wilderness in eastern Nevada, the White Pine district experienced one of the most intense and short-lived mining excitements in the history of the American West. What began as a modest discovery in the mid-1860s escalated into a boom that drew thousands of miners, speculators, and investors to the heights of Treasure Hill. Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Treasure City, Nevada
Initially settled in 1868 near the summit of Treasure Hill, amid some of the district's richest mines, Treasure City was one of three primary settlements founded during the silver rush to Nevada's White Pine region. Many western mining camps were established in difficult locations, but Treasure City was among the few built atop a mountain, where winter conditions ranked among the harshest endured by any mining camp in the West. Continue Reading
Death Valley’s Lost Burro Mine
The Lost Burro Mine is located in Inyo County California, within the boundaries of Death Valley National Park. The mine was discovered in 1907 and was worked intermittently by several owners until the 1970s. Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Silver Plume, Colorado
Silver Plume, Colorado was founded in 1869 near the rich silver mines west of Georgetown. Today most of the town is part of the Georgetown-Silver Plume National Historic Landmark District. Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Hot Creek, Nevada
Little is known about the daily lives of mining camp residents in central Nevada during the 1860s, but valuable details survive in the diaries of Martha Gally, who moved to Hot Creek with her husband, Dr. Gally, and their two children in December 1866. Continue Reading
The Belcher Mine: 1870s Mining Methods of the Comstock Lode
Using the fascinating ca. 1876 illustration of the Belcher mine workings by T. L. Dawes, this article examines some of the mining methods employed in the mines of Nevada's Comstock Lode. Continue Reading
