harm American heritage sites. heritage American harm Graffiti photos courtesy of Howard Goldbaum. Howard of courtesy photos Graffiti
enjoy but do not deface or otherwise otherwise or deface not do but enjoy
To be good stewards of our public lands, lands, public our of stewards good be To
STAY OUT & STAY ALIVE ALIVE STAY & OUT STAY
an abandoned mine: abandoned an
encounter you if advice Good
available from other sources on the Internet. the on sources other from available
of the American Flat Mill before its demolition may be be may demolition its before Mill Flat American the of
building uses. Additional information and a virtual tour tour virtual a and information Additional uses. building
brochure for an aerial photo and a description of of description a and photo aerial an for brochure
City National Historic Landmark). See inside of the the of inside See Landmark). Historic National City
miles south of Gold Hill, Nevada (part of the Virginia Virginia the of (part Nevada Hill, Gold of south miles
but visitors can visit the historic site. It is located 1.5 1.5 located is It site. historic the visit can visitors but
Today, nothing remains of the American Flat Mill, Mill, Flat American the of remains nothing Today,
in 2014. in
of the ruins. For safety reasons, the mill was demolished demolished was mill the reasons, safety For ruins. the of
from crude to intricate, would cover almost every inch inch every almost cover would intricate, to crude from
filmmakers, and photographers as well. Graffiti, ranging ranging Graffiti, well. as photographers and filmmakers,
youthful partiers. The intriguing backdrop drew artists, artists, drew backdrop intriguing The partiers. youthful
architecture, became a major attraction for locals and and locals for attraction major a became architecture,
By the 1960s the immense ruins, with their elaborate elaborate their with ruins, immense the 1960s the By
moved to other locations, such as Virginia City. Virginia as such locations, other to moved
buildings were demolished. demolished. were buildings were houses workers’ Even behind. ruins concrete only
the BLM to mitigate the hazards. Six years later, all the the all later, years Six hazards. the mitigate to BLM the leaving site, the from value of items and machinery the
General of the U.S. Department of the Interior directed directed Interior the of Department U.S. the of General of all sold and stripped Colorado, Denver, of Brothers
fatality was reported. A 2008 audit by the Inspector Inspector the by audit 2008 A reported. was fatality Morse the Ultimately, 1924. in ounce an cents 67
visitors. Serious injuries occurred every year, and one one and year, every occurred injuries Serious visitors. about to 1920, in ounce an dollar a from value in fall
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) did not deter deter not did (BLM) Management Land of Bureau the to continued silver and overestimated, been had value
Unfortunately, fencing and warning signs posted by by posted signs warning and fencing Unfortunately, ore’s the worse, matters make To process. to difficult and
The ruins became a serious public safety hazard. hazard. safety public serious a became ruins The sticky proved ore the because partly underestimated,
can be deadly. The American Flat Mill was no different. different. no was Mill Flat American The deadly. be can been had milling and mining of costs The 1926.
Abandoned mining and milling sites are dangerous and and dangerous are sites milling and mining Abandoned in closing short-lived, was Mill Flat American The
Hazards to the Public the to Hazards Giant a of Fall
To learn more, visit: https://allaroundnevada.com/americanflat/ U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Bureau of Land Management 1922 Opening Day Celebration for the American Flat Mill. Nevada Historical Society. Carson City District Office 5665 Morgan Mill Road Carson City, NV 89701 The Historic Mill Site Nevada’s Rich Mining History (775) 885-6000 In 1859 miners discovered the Comstock Lode—a at American Flat massive silver ore body beneath Virginia City, Nevada. Former Home of the United Word spread, and people traveled here from California and the eastern United States in search of riches. Comstock Merger Mill Virginia City prospered, and the Comstock Lode rose The mill office on opening day, September 23, 1922. to national significance. The largest boom, the Big Nevada Historical Society. Bonanza, occurred in 1873–1880. Soon after, mining operations exhausted the highest-grade ores and the Workers installing region’s economy declined. equipment at the fine-grinding building, 1922. In the 1910s and 1920s mining engineers Roy Hardy Nevada and Alex Wise sought to take advantage of a new Historical technology that used cyanide to extract gold and silver Society. from ore. They believed that this Merrill-Crowe process would allow them to mine and mill low-grade ores and tailings at a profit. With the financial backing of local rancher Herbert Humphrey and wealthy investors in the Northeast, the United Comstock Merger Mill was constructed in 1922.
The mill, now commonly known as the American Flat Mill, spread out over 29 acres. It boasted eight buildings, a 10,000-foot-long tunnel for electric trains transporting ore and water to the mill, and An ore train, with its electric battery locomotive, brought ore from the workings in Gold Hill connections to two spurs of the Virginia & Truckee and Virginia City to Building 1, the Ore Bin. Joe Curtis Collection. Railroad (V & T). Two trains with as many as twelve cars ran at any time through the haulage tunnel, delivering up to 6,500 tons of ore per train per day. The V & T transported houses for workers, building materials, mining equipment, and other supplies to the mill.
Locals celebrated the completion of the mill, believing it would usher in a new era of prosperity. At the time, the mill was the largest of its kind in the world. The buildings and infrastructure, along with a town of prefabricated houses for the workers, cost $5 million. Historians would later describe the American Flat Mill Historical photos courtesy of the Joe Curtis Collection, the Nevada Historical Society, V & T locomotive #25 delivering building materials to the mill during construction. as the “last gasp of the Comstock.” and the Special Collections Department, University of Nevada, Reno, Libraries. Joe Curtis Collection.
harm American heritage sites. heritage American harm Graffiti photos courtesy of Howard Goldbaum. Howard of courtesy photos Graffiti
enjoy but do not deface or otherwise otherwise or deface not do but enjoy
To be good stewards of our public lands, lands, public our of stewards good be To
STAY OUT & STAY ALIVE ALIVE STAY & OUT STAY
an abandoned mine: abandoned an
encounter you if advice Good
available from other sources on the Internet. the on sources other from available
of the American Flat Mill before its demolition may be be may demolition its before Mill Flat American the of
building uses. Additional information and a virtual tour tour virtual a and information Additional uses. building
brochure for an aerial photo and a description of of description a and photo aerial an for brochure
City National Historic Landmark). See inside of the the of inside See Landmark). Historic National City
miles south of Gold Hill, Nevada (part of the Virginia Virginia the of (part Nevada Hill, Gold of south miles
but visitors can visit the historic site. It is located 1.5 1.5 located is It site. historic the visit can visitors but
Today, nothing remains of the American Flat Mill, Mill, Flat American the of remains nothing Today,
in 2014. in
of the ruins. For safety reasons, the mill was demolished demolished was mill the reasons, safety For ruins. the of
from crude to intricate, would cover almost every inch inch every almost cover would intricate, to crude from
filmmakers, and photographers as well. Graffiti, ranging ranging Graffiti, well. as photographers and filmmakers,
youthful partiers. The intriguing backdrop drew artists, artists, drew backdrop intriguing The partiers. youthful
architecture, became a major attraction for locals and and locals for attraction major a became architecture,
By the 1960s the immense ruins, with their elaborate elaborate their with ruins, immense the 1960s the By
moved to other locations, such as Virginia City. Virginia as such locations, other to moved
buildings were demolished. demolished. were buildings were houses workers’ Even behind. ruins concrete only
the BLM to mitigate the hazards. Six years later, all the the all later, years Six hazards. the mitigate to BLM the leaving site, the from value of items and machinery the
General of the U.S. Department of the Interior directed directed Interior the of Department U.S. the of General of all sold and stripped Colorado, Denver, of Brothers
fatality was reported. A 2008 audit by the Inspector Inspector the by audit 2008 A reported. was fatality Morse the Ultimately, 1924. in ounce an cents 67
visitors. Serious injuries occurred every year, and one one and year, every occurred injuries Serious visitors. about to 1920, in ounce an dollar a from value in fall
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) did not deter deter not did (BLM) Management Land of Bureau the to continued silver and overestimated, been had value
Unfortunately, fencing and warning signs posted by by posted signs warning and fencing Unfortunately, ore’s the worse, matters make To process. to difficult and
The ruins became a serious public safety hazard. hazard. safety public serious a became ruins The sticky proved ore the because partly underestimated,
can be deadly. The American Flat Mill was no different. different. no was Mill Flat American The deadly. be can been had milling and mining of costs The 1926.
Abandoned mining and milling sites are dangerous and and dangerous are sites milling and mining Abandoned in closing short-lived, was Mill Flat American The
Hazards to the Public the to Hazards Giant a of Fall
To learn more, visit: https://allaroundnevada.com/americanflat/ U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Bureau of Land Management 1922 Opening Day Celebration for the American Flat Mill. Nevada Historical Society. Carson City District Office 5665 Morgan Mill Road Carson City, NV 89701 The Historic Mill Site Nevada’s Rich Mining History (775) 885-6000 In 1859 miners discovered the Comstock Lode—a at American Flat massive silver ore body beneath Virginia City, Nevada. Former Home of the United Word spread, and people traveled here from California and the eastern United States in search of riches. Comstock Merger Mill Virginia City prospered, and the Comstock Lode rose The mill office on opening day, September 23, 1922. to national significance. The largest boom, the Big Nevada Historical Society. Bonanza, occurred in 1873–1880. Soon after, mining operations exhausted the highest-grade ores and the Workers installing region’s economy declined. equipment at the fine-grinding building, 1922. In the 1910s and 1920s mining engineers Roy Hardy Nevada and Alex Wise sought to take advantage of a new Historical technology that used cyanide to extract gold and silver Society. from ore. They believed that this Merrill-Crowe process would allow them to mine and mill low-grade ores and tailings at a profit. With the financial backing of local rancher Herbert Humphrey and wealthy investors in the Northeast, the United Comstock Merger Mill was constructed in 1922.
The mill, now commonly known as the American Flat Mill, spread out over 29 acres. It boasted eight buildings, a 10,000-foot-long tunnel for electric trains transporting ore and water to the mill, and An ore train, with its electric battery locomotive, brought ore from the workings in Gold Hill connections to two spurs of the Virginia & Truckee and Virginia City to Building 1, the Ore Bin. Joe Curtis Collection. Railroad (V & T). Two trains with as many as twelve cars ran at any time through the haulage tunnel, delivering up to 6,500 tons of ore per train per day. The V & T transported houses for workers, building materials, mining equipment, and other supplies to the mill.
Locals celebrated the completion of the mill, believing it would usher in a new era of prosperity. At the time, the mill was the largest of its kind in the world. The buildings and infrastructure, along with a town of prefabricated houses for the workers, cost $5 million. Historians would later describe the American Flat Mill Historical photos courtesy of the Joe Curtis Collection, the Nevada Historical Society, V & T locomotive #25 delivering building materials to the mill during construction. as the “last gasp of the Comstock.” and the Special Collections Department, University of Nevada, Reno, Libraries. Joe Curtis Collection.
harm American heritage sites. heritage American harm Graffiti photos courtesy of Howard Goldbaum. Howard of courtesy photos Graffiti
enjoy but do not deface or otherwise otherwise or deface not do but enjoy
To be good stewards of our public lands, lands, public our of stewards good be To
STAY OUT & STAY ALIVE ALIVE STAY & OUT STAY
an abandoned mine: abandoned an
encounter you if advice Good
available from other sources on the Internet. the on sources other from available
of the American Flat Mill before its demolition may be be may demolition its before Mill Flat American the of
building uses. Additional information and a virtual tour tour virtual a and information Additional uses. building
brochure for an aerial photo and a description of of description a and photo aerial an for brochure
City National Historic Landmark). See inside of the the of inside See Landmark). Historic National City
miles south of Gold Hill, Nevada (part of the Virginia Virginia the of (part Nevada Hill, Gold of south miles
but visitors can visit the historic site. It is located 1.5 1.5 located is It site. historic the visit can visitors but
Today, nothing remains of the American Flat Mill, Mill, Flat American the of remains nothing Today,
in 2014. in
of the ruins. For safety reasons, the mill was demolished demolished was mill the reasons, safety For ruins. the of
from crude to intricate, would cover almost every inch inch every almost cover would intricate, to crude from
filmmakers, and photographers as well. Graffiti, ranging ranging Graffiti, well. as photographers and filmmakers,
youthful partiers. The intriguing backdrop drew artists, artists, drew backdrop intriguing The partiers. youthful
architecture, became a major attraction for locals and and locals for attraction major a became architecture,
By the 1960s the immense ruins, with their elaborate elaborate their with ruins, immense the 1960s the By
moved to other locations, such as Virginia City. Virginia as such locations, other to moved
buildings were demolished. demolished. were buildings were houses workers’ Even behind. ruins concrete only
the BLM to mitigate the hazards. Six years later, all the the all later, years Six hazards. the mitigate to BLM the leaving site, the from value of items and machinery the
General of the U.S. Department of the Interior directed directed Interior the of Department U.S. the of General of all sold and stripped Colorado, Denver, of Brothers
fatality was reported. A 2008 audit by the Inspector Inspector the by audit 2008 A reported. was fatality Morse the Ultimately, 1924. in ounce an cents 67
visitors. Serious injuries occurred every year, and one one and year, every occurred injuries Serious visitors. about to 1920, in ounce an dollar a from value in fall
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) did not deter deter not did (BLM) Management Land of Bureau the to continued silver and overestimated, been had value
Unfortunately, fencing and warning signs posted by by posted signs warning and fencing Unfortunately, ore’s the worse, matters make To process. to difficult and
The ruins became a serious public safety hazard. hazard. safety public serious a became ruins The sticky proved ore the because partly underestimated,
can be deadly. The American Flat Mill was no different. different. no was Mill Flat American The deadly. be can been had milling and mining of costs The 1926.
Abandoned mining and milling sites are dangerous and and dangerous are sites milling and mining Abandoned in closing short-lived, was Mill Flat American The
Hazards to the Public the to Hazards Giant a of Fall
To learn more, visit: https://allaroundnevada.com/americanflat/ U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Bureau of Land Management 1922 Opening Day Celebration for the American Flat Mill. Nevada Historical Society. Carson City District Office 5665 Morgan Mill Road Carson City, NV 89701 The Historic Mill Site Nevada’s Rich Mining History (775) 885-6000 In 1859 miners discovered the Comstock Lode—a at American Flat massive silver ore body beneath Virginia City, Nevada. Former Home of the United Word spread, and people traveled here from California and the eastern United States in search of riches. Comstock Merger Mill Virginia City prospered, and the Comstock Lode rose The mill office on opening day, September 23, 1922. to national significance. The largest boom, the Big Nevada Historical Society. Bonanza, occurred in 1873–1880. Soon after, mining operations exhausted the highest-grade ores and the Workers installing region’s economy declined. equipment at the fine-grinding building, 1922. In the 1910s and 1920s mining engineers Roy Hardy Nevada and Alex Wise sought to take advantage of a new Historical technology that used cyanide to extract gold and silver Society. from ore. They believed that this Merrill-Crowe process would allow them to mine and mill low-grade ores and tailings at a profit. With the financial backing of local rancher Herbert Humphrey and wealthy investors in the Northeast, the United Comstock Merger Mill was constructed in 1922.
The mill, now commonly known as the American Flat Mill, spread out over 29 acres. It boasted eight buildings, a 10,000-foot-long tunnel for electric trains transporting ore and water to the mill, and An ore train, with its electric battery locomotive, brought ore from the workings in Gold Hill connections to two spurs of the Virginia & Truckee and Virginia City to Building 1, the Ore Bin. Joe Curtis Collection. Railroad (V & T). Two trains with as many as twelve cars ran at any time through the haulage tunnel, delivering up to 6,500 tons of ore per train per day. The V & T transported houses for workers, building materials, mining equipment, and other supplies to the mill.
Locals celebrated the completion of the mill, believing it would usher in a new era of prosperity. At the time, the mill was the largest of its kind in the world. The buildings and infrastructure, along with a town of prefabricated houses for the workers, cost $5 million. Historians would later describe the American Flat Mill Historical photos courtesy of the Joe Curtis Collection, the Nevada Historical Society, V & T locomotive #25 delivering building materials to the mill during construction. as the “last gasp of the Comstock.” and the Special Collections Department, University of Nevada, Reno, Libraries. Joe Curtis Collection. Building 1 Building 8 Building 7 The building contained a furnace Ore Bin Substation Assay Office and room, laboratory, grinding and sampling Trains deposited ore Three oil-cooled Testing Plant equipment, and the mill from mines located in transformers superintendent’s office. the Comstock’s central located in the and southern portions. substation transferred power for use at the mill.
Building 2 The American Flat Mill Building 6 Gold and silver were extracted here. The Coarse-crushing Plant 1 Precipitation and building contained two tanks, four Merrill Heavy machinery crushed and screened Refinery Building presses, a refinery, and a ore. A conveyor belt moved ore to 2 vault for bullion storage. Building 3. 8
5 6 3
7 V & T 4 spurs
Building 3 Ore was finely Building 4 Building 5 The building housed a crushed by five storekeeper’s office, 3,000 bins for Fine-grinding and ball mills and Cyanide Plant Warehouse small items, and 1,000 square feet washed by of storage for large items. Concentration Plant 10 classifiers. Ore was moved and processed into thickening, leaching, agitating, and storage tanks.
Historical photos courtesy of the Joe Curtis Collection, the Nevada Historical Society, and the Special Collections Department, University of Nevada, Reno, Libraries.
The American Flat Mill site today. Bureau of Land Management, Carson City District.