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Mining History of Mojave National Preserve

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Mining History of Mojave National Preserve MINING HISTORY OF MOJAVE NATIONAL PRESERVE ANTHROPOLOGICAL STUDIES CENTER Sonoma State University Rohnert Park, California 94928 June 2007 Cover photo. Shaft at the Bullion Mine with cut Juniper shoring. MINING HISTORY OF MOJAVE NATIONAL PRESERVE TASK AGREEMENT NO. J8380050050 TO COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT NO. H8530020045 prepared for United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Mojave National Preserve San Bernardino County, California prepared by Heidi Koenig, M.A., RPA Anthropological Studies Center Sonoma State University 1801 E. Cotati Avenue, Building 29 Rohnert Park, CA 94928 phone: (707) 664-2381 fax: (707) 664-4155 www.sonoma.edu/projects/ascTU UT e-mail: [email protected] June 2007 CONTENTS Introduction.................................................................................................................................................................1 Description of Project..........................................................................................................................................1 Setting ............................................................................................................................................................2 Settlement......................................................................................................................................................4 History of Mojave National Preserve ...............................................................................................................5 Mining Research in Mojave National Preserve ...............................................................................................7 Organization of this Report................................................................................................................................8 Framework for Mining History in Mojave National Preserve .............................................................................9 Previous Frameworks Developed for Mining in the Eastern Mojave ..........................................................9 New Framework for Mining in the Preserve...................................................................................................9 Silver Mining in Mojave National Preserve, 1863–1893........................................................................10 Golden Years of Mining in Mojave National Preserve, 1893–1929......................................................10 Great Depression Mining in Mojave National Preserve, 1929–1941 ...................................................10 Mining in Mojave National Preserve during World War II and Beyond, 1941–present ................................................................................................11 Historical Background .............................................................................................................................................12 The Development of Mining in the Mojave ...................................................................................................12 Early Transportation Corridors................................................................................................................12 Early Mining and the Gold Rush .............................................................................................................12 Environmental Considerations.................................................................................................................15 The Making of a Mine.......................................................................................................................................15 Development of Mining Claims and Districts........................................................................................15 Corporations and Company Towns ........................................................................................................18 Technological Developments....................................................................................................................20 The Miners...................................................................................................................................................20 Historic Contexts for Mining in Mojave National Preserve................................................................................25 Silver Mining in Mojave National Preserve, 1863–1893 ...............................................................................25 Rock Spring Discovery ..............................................................................................................................25 Clark Mountains.........................................................................................................................................26 New York Mountains.................................................................................................................................31 The Bonanza King ......................................................................................................................................31 Other Mining Districts...............................................................................................................................33 Mescal Mountains ...............................................................................................................................33 Ivanpah Mountains.............................................................................................................................33 Vontrigger Hills...................................................................................................................................33 Change Comes to the Mining Industry...................................................................................................34 The Value of Silver and Gold.............................................................................................................34 The Mescal Mine Story .......................................................................................................................35 Golden Years of Mining in Mojave National Preserve, 1893–1929.............................................................37 Transportation, Technology, and Vanderbilt .........................................................................................37 Copper World Mine ...................................................................................................................................41 Other Mining Districts...............................................................................................................................43 ii Standard District .................................................................................................................................43 Soda Lake .............................................................................................................................................44 Kelso District........................................................................................................................................44 Providence Mountains........................................................................................................................45 Solo District..........................................................................................................................................46 Cima District ........................................................................................................................................46 Vontrigger District ..............................................................................................................................46 Discoveries in the Castle Mountains........................................................................................................46 World War I and New Mineral Discoveries ...........................................................................................47 Great Depression Mining in Mojave National Preserve, 1929–1941...........................................................49 Small‐scale Mining in the Preserve..........................................................................................................49 Mines during the Depression Era.............................................................................................................50 Mining in Mojave National Preserve during World War II and Beyond, 1941–present .......................................................................................................51 Executive Order L‐208 ...............................................................................................................................52 Mining after World War II ‐ Nonmetallic Minerals...............................................................................53 Large‐scale Operations in the Modern Era .............................................................................................54 Using the Framework .......................................................................................................................................55 The Archaeology of Mining ....................................................................................................................................56 Recorded and Evaluated Mining Resources in the Preserve.......................................................................56 Property Types for Mining Sites in the Mojave National Preserve ............................................................59
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