The King Solomon Mine
The King Solomon mine, a monolithic structure from a bygone era, stands alone atop the Rand Mountain range, a silent witness to the joys, sorrows and deaths of those who sought the riches from beneath the earth. Cindy Nunn's new book Abandoned California: King Solomon Mine is a history of the mine from its beginnings until shut-down. Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Jerome, Arizona
Jerome, Arizona was a major copper mining city located on an improbably steep location on the side of a mountain. This billion-dollar camp was once the fourth largest city in Arizona. Today, Jerome is a popular tourist destination. Continue Reading
Rich Gold Deposits of Plumas County
The following article describing the early history of Plumas County gold districts and a resurgence of mining in the mid-1890s appeared in the San Francisco Call on July 18, 1895. The map image was published with the article, all other images were added from separate archives. Plumas is county of rugged mountains, holding in their Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Nevada City, California
Nevada City, California was one of the earliest and most important mining camps established during the Gold Rush. The town would grow to be an important center of mining and society among the numerous gold camps of the Sierra foothills. Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Cripple Creek, Colorado
Cripple Creek, Colorado was settled after gold discoveries in 1891. It would soon be one of the West's greatest mining cities, and the Cripple Creek district would produce enough gold to become the second most valuable gold district in the U.S. Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Placerville, California
Placerville, California was one of the earliest and most prosperous mining towns established during the Gold Rush. Even after the gold ran out, Placerville continued to flourish as a supply center and transportation hub for mines and camps throughout the region. Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Deadwood, South Dakota
Deadwood is one of the West's most historically significant mining cities, and the location of some of the Wild West's most notable events. Deadwood has seen extensive preservation of its historical buildings, and is a popular tourist center. Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Smuggler, Colorado
The company town of Smuggler, Colorado was part of the Smuggler-Union mine, one of the Telluride district's top three mines. Smuggler was the site of more fatal accidents and violence than any mine in the district. Continue Reading
The Saga of the Perasich Murder – Darwin, California 1875
While researching historical newspapers for information on Panamint City, California, I stumbled upon a series of articles that detail the murder of a man named Perasich. Perasich, a business owner in Panamint Springs, California, was allegedly gunned down by Ashim in the nearby mining town of Darwin. The articles lay out a dramatic series of events following the crime; doubt as to Ashim's guilt, attempted revenge by Perasich's brothers, and a trial corrupted by both money and influence of the local outlaw gangs. Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Granite, Montana
Granite, Montana was settled near the Granite Mountain silver mine, one of the richest in the world. The town would grow to have a population of around 3,000 people. Today, Granite is ghost town and not much is left. The few remaining structures are preserved as part of a state park. Continue Reading
