The Western Mining History Members’ Journals are members-only, in-depth articles on topics related to the mining West.
History of the New Almaden Mines
This article describes the fascinating history of the New Almaden quicksilver mines located in Santa Clara County, California. While many have heard of New Almaden, it is often overlooked that the state’s first lode mining operation was also the site of bonanza ores that rivaled many of the West’s great gold mines in the value of the metals produced. Continue Reading
Grand Encampment: A Wyoming Copper District
The Encampment district is notable for the sixteen-mile-long aerial tram that linked the mill and smelter at the town of Encampment with the Ferris-Haggarty mine. At the time it was completed in 1902 it was the longest aerial tramway in the world. Grand Encampment: A Wyoming Copper District examines the history and mining towns of this Wyoming copper district. Continue Reading
Goldfield, Nevada: The Arthur Allen Albums
Photographer Arthur Allen captured many important scenes from Goldfield, Nevada’s peak years – from the budding camp that was just a collection of tents in the fall of 1903, to the thriving community that was described as “The World’s Greatest Gold Camp”, and was Nevada’s largest city by the middle of the decade. “Goldfield, Nevada: The Arthur Allen Albums” presents over 100 photos of the city, the mines, and cultural events that occurred during Goldfield’s boom years. Continue Reading
Mining in the Black Hills
“Mining in the Black Hills” provides an overview of the geography and history of mining and mining communities in the Black Hills. Included are historic and modern maps of the mining towns and districts of this famous mining region. Continue Reading
Cripple Creek “The World’s Greatest Gold Camp”
“So thickly were the hillsides and gulches studded with homes, than one can easily say that the Cripple Creek district is one great city, covering thirty-six square miles.” Cripple Creek – “The World’s Greatest Gold Camp” uses selected text from a 1903 special edition of the Cripple Creek Times, and over 50 images from various sources to illustrate the importance and magnitude of Cripple Creek during the district’s peak years. Continue Reading
Saga of the War Eagle Mines
While Silver City and the Owyhee mines entered a new phase by the 1880s, the turbulent events of the 1860s were never forgotten. Aptly named War Eagle Mountain will always be remembered as one of the most contested, and bloodiest, mining locations in the West. Continue Reading
Mill Locations of the Comstock Lode
The Comstock Lode of Nevada was one of the richest deposits of precious metals ever discovered, and the mining bonanza that occurred there is one of America’s most significant historical events. This article looks at the distribution of the over 200 mills that were constructed to process the Comstock ore. Continue Reading
The Western Prospector
Dating back to the earliest days of the California Gold Rush, prospectors were looked upon by the general public as the solitary heroes of the western frontier. They were responsible for the rapid discovery of California’s seemingly endless placer gold mines, and soon were tracing those placers back to their sources in what became the region’s great underground mines. “The Western Prospector” details the history of prospectors in the West, including numerous historical photos. Continue Reading
