Ghost Towns of Death Valley - Western Side

 

Written by Robert C. Jones

Kennesaw, Georgia

 

jone442@bellsouth.net

 

Click here to return to the "Ghost Towns of Death Valley" home page

 

Click here to purchase the booklet and/or DVD slideshow

 

 

 

See also my "Nevada Ghost Towns", "Ghost Towns (and Historic Towns) of Arizona", "Ghost Towns (and Historic Towns) of California: Bodie, Bay Area, Mojave", "Ghost Towns (and Historic Towns) of Mojave National Preserve" and "Ghost Towns (and Historic Towns) of New Mexico"

 

 

Broken Pick, Trail Canyon, Death Valley

 

Published by Robert Jones

 

Copyright 1996, 2000-2008

 

 Robert Jones
P.O. Box 1775
Kennesaw, GA 30156

Table of Contents

Table of Contents. 2

Introduction. 3

Aguereberry Camp/Eureka Mine/Harrisburg. 5

Argenta Mine. 7

Ashford Mill 8

Ballarat 9

Barker Ranch. 11

Broken Pick/Trail Canyon. 14

Christmas Mine. 16

Corona Mine (Jail Canyon)  New 2008

Darwin. 19

Eagle Borax Works/Shorty Harris Grave. 21

Galena Canyon. 22

Goldbelt 23

Harmony Borax Works. 25

Journigan’s Mill 26

Keystone Mine (Lotus Mine) 27

Lippincott Mine. 29

Lost Burro Mine. 30

Old Stovepipe Wells. 31

Owl Hole Springs/Black Magic & New Deal Mines. 32

Panamint City. 33

Queen of Sheba Mine/Carbonate. 35

Skidoo. 37

Starr’s Mill 38

Tucki Mountain. 39

Ubehebe Mine. 40

Warm Springs Camp/Gold Hill Mill  Updated 2008

Wildrose Canyon Kilns. 43

Sources. 44

Sponsored Links 

Introduction

 

1925 photo shows the hazards of travel in Death Valley (from the collection of Juanita Kasson Ingram)

 

The photos in this portfolio were taken in and around the Western[1] part of Death Valley from 1996-2008.  Death Valley is truly an amazing place.  It contains the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere (Badwater, -282 feet below sea level), but is surrounded by extremely tall mountain peaks (including Telescope Peak, at 11,049 feet above sea level!).  The park itself contains 3,336,000 acres (90% wilderness), making it the largest national park in the contiguous United States.

 

Death Valley is also, of course, one of the driest and hottest spots in the world.  Average rainfall per year is only 1.65 inches!  The average high temperature in July is 116.2!  (The highest temperature ever recorded there was 134 degrees). 

 

Death Valley has a fascinating mining history.  Miners first passed through here in 1849 during the California gold rush, not realizing that there were vast deposits of gold and borax just waiting to be taken out of the mountains and Valley floor.  By the late 19th century though, large scale gold and borax mining operations were in full swing.  In the 20^th century, talc mining would join borax as the two most important minerals mined in the Death Valley area.

 

Ghost towns in general are fast decaying away, the victims of weather, vandals, and owner's neglect.  The 100+ ghost towns and mining camps within and near Death Valley are probably in better shape than most because of the preservative affect of the extremely dry climate, and the protection offered by Death Valley being a national park (and, earlier, a national monument).  However, the ghost towns here are slowly fading away.

 

In some cases, whole towns (such as Harrisburg or Kasson) have disappeared so completely that it is almost as if they never existed.  One should keep in mind, though, the temporary nature of many of these boom and bust mining towns.  Harrisburg, for example, was primarily a tent city.  When it went bust, the miners moved the tents to new claims.  Even in more substantial towns with wooden buildings, it wasn't unusual to completely move the buildings to a new area after the town went bust.

 

In general, the most common extant ruins in Death Valley include mill ruins, metal or stone mine buildings, mine openings, and metal water towers.  There are few mercantile or residential structures remaining (Rhyolite and Aguereberry Camp being two exceptions).  The best-preserved towns are post-1950s company mining camps (Ibex Springs, Broken Pick, Warm Springs, Keystone Mine, etc.)

 

In this portfolio, I have defined several different types of ghost towns:

 

• DEAD: Meaning that the former mining camp or town is completely deserted, and has no inhabitants or businesses. Chloride Cliff is an example.
• GHOST OF ITS FORMER SELF: Meaning that the population has decreased radically since the boom days, with just a few hardy souls keeping it alive. Ballarat and Rhyolite are examples.
• ARRESTED DECAY: Meaning that a governmental or corporate body is attempting to prevent further decay of the site.  Harmony Borax Works is an example.

 

Throughout this study, I have used a personal rating system (0 low; 10 high) to rank three categories in each ghost town.  These include:

 

• REMAINS: What is the quantity and quality of remaining boom-days structures in the town or area?
• ACCESSIBILITY: How easy is it to get to the site? 
• EXPLORING: How accessible are the buildings in the town?  Posted "No Trespassing" areas are rated low; open areas in National Forests/Parks are rated high.

 

This booklet focuses primarily on what there is to see in the Death Valley ghost towns today, as opposed to extensively examining the history of the sites.  I hope this little photographic study proves interesting to fans of these lonely reminders of our American heritage.

 

- Robert Jones, Kennesaw, Georgia

Aguereberry Camp/Eureka Mine/Harrisburg

 

Background:

The two most famous prospectors in Death Valley mining lore, Shorty Harris and Pete Aguereberry, found the gold strike at Harrisburg in 1905.  By 1906, the tent city of Harrisburg had vanished, as miners flocked to the new finds at nearby Skidoo. 

 

Pete Aguereberry, however, continued to mine his Eureka Mine until his death in 1945.  In later years, it is said that he made more money giving tourists guided mine tours than he did from actual mining.

What is left to see:

Harrisburg has entirely vanished, as it was mostly a tent city.  However, the remains of Pete Aguereberry's camp and mining operation (Eureka Mine) are among the most well preserved ghost town remains in Death Valley.  Beds, refrigerators and stoves remain in place as if Old Pete just stepped out for a trip to the local store. 

 

Argenta Mine

 

Background:

George C. Crist started significant operations here in 1924, although there are extant references to a 19^th century mine by the same name.

What is left to see:

Foundations of numerous buildings; several old cars; a large water tank; mine openings.

 

Ashford Mill

 

Background:

Ashford Mill was established c. 1915 to process ore from the nearby Golden Treasure mine.  Curiously enough, the mill shut down after processing a few tons of ore, and was never reopened.

 

The mill site is easily accessed, as it is about 100 yards off of Route 178.

What is left to see:

One concrete mill building; concrete pilings from the mill.

 

Ballarat

 

Background:

• Named after the mining district in Australia
• '49ers camped near here on their way to California
• Prospector "Shorty" Harris died here in 1934
• Post office closed in 1917
• Last resident died in 1968 ("Seldom Seen Slim")
• Briefly a stopover for Charles Manson and his “family” in 1969

What is left to see:

Ballarat was completely dead for a period after the death of its last resident in 1968, but there are several residents now, and a small "General Store" which caters to tourists.  There are several intact, abandoned buildings (made mostly out of wood and clay), as well as a maintained graveyard.  Ballarat is often the embarkation point for the 10 hour round trip hike to the ghost town Panamint City.

 

Charles Manson’s truck – abandoned in Ballarat in 1969

 

Ballarat Jail/Morgue.  According to “Lightfoot Louie” (town caretaker), the building was built in 1900 for $336.50.

 

Assay Office, used by Fred Grey.  Charles Manson’s “family” stayed in this house briefly before leaving for the Barker Ranch in 1969.

 

“This was the home of Fred Grey – Assayer, miner and honorary mayor of Ballarat.  He lived here 51 years.  He had a college education (USC) in mining, engineering and assaying.” (“Lightfoot Louie”)

 

School house – “The first school marm was Mrs. Mary Bigelow for the first and only school year 1899-1900.  Frank “Shorty” Harris lived here several years before his death in 1934.” (“Lightfoot Louie”)

Barker Ranch

 

Background

Not all of the myths and legends about Death Valley have to do with Argonauts and miners from long ago.  In October of 1969, well within the living memory of many of us, Charles Manson and his “family” were apprehended in two raids at the Barker Ranch on the outskirts of Death Valley.  (Photo: The Barker Ranch in 2007)

 

Manson and his followers had moved into the area as early as summer of 1968, and sporadically inhabited the Barker Ranch and the nearby Myers Ranch (owned by the grandmother of one of the “family” members).  Curiously, Manson met several times with Mrs. Barker, who lived at Indian Ranch, north of Ballarat.  She had given her permission for Manson to use the Barker Ranch, but of course wasn’t aware of the crimes committed by Manson and his family.

 

The first of the two raids occurred on October 10, 1969, when a combined force of National Park Service Rangers, California Highway Patrol officers, and representatives from the Inyo County district attorney’s office launched a quasi-military raid on the Barker Ranch.  Among the 13 people (mostly women) captured in the raid was Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, who would later try to assassinate President Gerald Ford (September 5, 1975).  The second raid occurred on October 12, 1969, and involved National Park Service Rangers, California Highway Patrol officers, and deputy sheriffs from Inyo County.  Among those captured in this second raid was the leader of the “family”, Charles Manson.  He was found hiding under a vanity in the small Barker Ranch bathroom.  No shots were fired, and no one was hurt during the two raids.

 

Ironically, Manson and his followers were not apprehended for the Tate/LaBianca/Hinman murders, but rather for the arson of a Death Valley “Michigan Articulating Loader” near the Lippincott Mine a month before (as well as various auto theft, stolen property and firearms charges).  It wasn’t until mid-November of 1969 that the “family” became prime suspects in the aforementioned murders (one jailed “family” member had spilled the beans to her cell mates). 

 

In time, Manson and various family members would be convicted of 9 murders, and sentenced to death or life imprisonment.  In June of 1972, the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily ended the death penalty and all death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment.

 

For an in depth account of the capture of Manson and his “family”, see the indispensable Desert Shadows: A true story of the Charles Manson Family in Death Valley by Bob Murphy (Sagebrush Press, 1993).

What’s left to see

The Barker Ranch today is pretty much intact.  The kitchen and dining room still have furniture in them, and the famous bathroom where Manson was apprehended is still intact (although the vanity is gone).  The kitchen also has a set of shelves that contain notes from various people who have visited the site over the years.  One recent note stated that “I just wanted to see if I could figure out what was in Charlie’s mind”.  A nearby bunkhouse made of railroad ties remains in good shape.  The site also has a picnic table.

 

One of my favorite features of the Barker Ranch are the two signs pointing to rest facilities – if you follow them, they lead to an outdoor toilet with no walls.  Luckily, the Barker Ranch is in a particularly isolated part of Death Valley.

 

The road to the Myers Ranch is closed, and it is posted private property.

 

A note on the directions:  As you climb Goler Wash and near the top, you’ll pass the large, abandoned Keystone Mine on the right.  About 1.2 miles past that, you’ll make a hard left through Sourdough Spring.  After climbing the short hill, take the road to the right to get to the Barker Ranch, not the road that has the DVNP sign.

 

The bathroom where Charles Manson was captured

 

 

Broken Pick/Trail Canyon

 

Background

Broken Pick Served as a company town for mining operations in Trail Canyon.

What’s left to see

Some of the more substantial “town” remains in Death Valley National Park, including several buildings, an abandoned mobile home, and an outhouse with an intact toilet seat.

 

View of several remaining structures at the Broken Pick site

 

 

Christmas Mine

 

 

Background:

Silver mining occurred here on and off from the 19^th century to the 1970s.

What is left to see:

A two-seater outhouse; the roof frame of a cabin; an abandoned cyanide canister.

 

The only remaining structure at the Christmas Mine town site – a two-seater outhouse

 

Collapsed bunk house

Corona Mine (Jail Canyon)

 

Background

Mining was started here in 1899 (by Jack Curran, according to a sign at the site), with the first mine being known as the Gem Mine.  The claim was also known at one point as the New Discovery Mine.  By 1951, the site was known by the name it still bears today – Corona.

What is left to see:

There is much left to see for those hardy enough to make it up Jail Canyon to the Corona Mine.  There are two standing cabins (and one collapsed one).  The larger of the two cabins is still “camp-able”, and has been cleaned up and repaired in recent years.  In the mine camp area, there is also a trailer, a couple of abandoned trucks, a spring, picnic tables and much debris.  Further up the side canyon are extensive mill ruins, complete with abandoned railroad tracks.

 

The main cabin in the Corona Mine camp

 

 

Darwin

 

Background:

Founded in 1874 (Post Office, 1875), Darwin had a population of 2,000 by 1877.  The silver mines declined soon after that, and Darwin declined.  A second boom occurred from 1937-1951, when the Anaconda Corporation mined lead and zinc here.

 

From 1926-1937, Darwin was the western gateway into Death Valley, and experienced a small tourist boom.  In 1937, SR 190 was completed, bypassing the old mining town.  The old road from Darwin to Darwin Falls is still passable, albeit in generally poor condition.

What is left to see:

The main intersection in town – Main and Market Streets – has interesting buildings on all four corners, including an old post office, a dance hall, the old school, and abandoned residences.

 

According to the 2000 census, there are 40 occupied households in the town, with a total population of 59.  There is an operating post office in Darwin.

 

The most interesting ruins are posted private property – the Darwin Mines property is being maintained for potential future mining operations (similar to Ryan).  There are 20+ buildings on the Darwin Mine property, but they are not open for exploration.

 

 

This 1897 post office map (National Archives) shows Darwin in relation to Keeler, Modock (an 1870s silver town), and Ballarat.  The text says “From Modock to Ballarat there is only a trail, but a wagon road could be made with about 1000 dollars. I mark the place where blasting would be necessary with a X.”

 

This page from the National Archives shows the Darwin postmasters from 1928-1960.

Eagle Borax Works/Shorty Harris Grave

 

Background

Isadore Daunet mined Borax here from 1882-1884.  He eventually went bankrupt, and committed suicide in 1884.

What is left to see

A partially processed pile of Borax.  About half a mile from the Borax Works is the grave of famous Death Valley prospector Shorty Harris and his friend Jim Dayton.

 

Shorty Harris grave site

Galena Canyon

 

Background

• Includes mine remains from Bonney Talc Mine, the Mammoth Mine, and the White Eagle Mine
• Galena Canyon may have been the escape route for the 49ers saved by William Lewis Manly and John Rogers

What’s left to see

Large tanks (one contained diesel fuel, one contained ammonium nitrate) of the Mammoth Mine, on a high cliff with a spectacular view of Death Valley; a small office (White Eagle Mine); an impressive ore-loading chute, that still has talc in the chutes (White Eagle Mine)

 

White Eagle Talc Mine ore chute

 

Goldbelt

 

Background

Gold was found near Goldbelt Spring in 1904 by famed Death Valley prospector Shorty Harris.  Harris also discovered tungsten in 1915.  In the 1950s, a small talc mine operated near the spring.

What’s left to see

All of the remains left at Goldbelt are from the 1950s talc mine.  The remains include three collapsed shacks, one dugout cabin, the remains of a water delivery system from the springs, a corral, and an abandoned vehicle.  The nearby Calmet Mine has an abandoned ore  (wollastonite) chute.

 

In the late 1980s, two of the shacks and an outhouse were still standing.  All are gone or collapsed in 2007.

 

This 1987 photo by Michael Hirsch (from Berg am Irchel, Switzerland) shows two of the three shacks still standing.  Michael’s motorcycle broke down here in 1987 – a long way from anywhere! 

 

Harmony Borax Works

 

Background:

Borax, used as a cleaning agent for clothes, as well as other industrial purposes, was one of the main ores mined and processed in Death Valley.   The Borax was scooped up from the Valley floor by Chinese workers, hauled to the Harmony Borax Works, and processed into borax crystals.  From there, the crystals were hauled by the famous 20 Mule Teams to Mojave, 165 miles away.  The Works shut down every summer, because the extreme heat in Death Valley interfered with the refining process.

What is left to see:

The site is now maintained by the National Park Service, although it was originally preserved by the United States Borax & Chemical Corporation, a successor of the original owners.  The shells of two outlining buildings can be seen, as well as remains of the mill itself.  Two wagons and a water tank from an original 20 Mule Team stand on the site.  Also, two-foot tall Borax "haystacks" still stand  about 3 miles west of the site.   

 

 

Journigan’s Mill

 

Background

Journigan’s Mill was a gold mill (cyanide) that operated from 1937-1967.  Its name came from its original owner, Roy Journigan.

What’s left to see

Two large chemical tanks (compare to Galena Canyon), several concrete cyanide tanks, various rubble, including 4 old cars.

 

 

 

Keystone Mine (Lotus Mine)

 

Background

The first mining in the area is said to have been done by Carl Mengel (a friend of Shorty Harris).  In 1935, the property was acquired by Lotus Mines.

In the 1980s, the Keystone Mine operated a gold mine here.  Most of the remains date from that later operation.

 

According to the Sierra Club website, the stone cabin is part of the BLM Adopt-A-Cabin Program, and is periodically fixed up by interested campers.  There are also rumors that mining may begin again in this area.

What’s left to see

Among the most extensive mining camp remains in or near Death Valley National Park (Keystone Mine is about 1.2 miles from the DVNP border).  In the area just off of Goler Wash are several standing buildings, including the heretofore mentioned stone cabin.  There are also 4 abandoned travel trailers, mill ruins, mining equipment, and much debris.  Far up the canyon to the south is the actual entrance to the Keystone Mine.  The mine had a 2,800-foot inclined rail-tram that carried ore down to Goler Wash.

 

 

 

Interior of stone cabin at the Keystone Mine.  The sign says “We like to camp here.  Do not vandalize!”

 

There are various other mine camp ruins scattered along Goler Wash, as the photos below show.

 

Lippincott Mine

 

Background

While this mine was founded in 1906, the largest operations occurred from 1940 – 1953 when the site was leased by George Lippincott.  The lead mined here was smelted at Bonnie Claire (Lippincott Smelter).  This was also the site where Charles Manson and several of his followers torched a Death Valley National Park road grader in 1969.

What’s left to see

An abandoned water truck, a washing machine, and wood and concrete rubble are all that mark this especially lonely site.  The even sparser remains of the Homestake Mine can be found about a mile away near the Homestake Camping Area.

 

Lost Burro Mine

 

Background:

The great name comes from a story that says that the original founder of the mine (Bert Shively) picked up a gold-laced rock to throw at some stray burros.  Heavy operations at this mine came and went in various decades, including 1912-1917, 1928, and the 1970s.

What is left to see:

A wood frame cabin, a dugout cabin, mill ruins, and an outhouse.  Note:  The road from Hunter Mountain Road to this mine is in VERY bad shape.

 

Old Stovepipe Wells

Background:

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Old Stovepipe Well was an important watering hole for Death Valley miners and prospectors.  It is named for the length of stovepipe that was driven into the well, marking the site from shifting sands.  Later, a small town was located here. 

 

 

In 1926, "Bob" Eichbaum planned on making the site a winter resort.  Because of difficulties in building a graded road to the area, he located the resort (the first in the Valley) several miles to the east (modern Stovepipe Wells).

What is left to see:

Remains of the well; the grave of Val Nolan, who died in 1931 "a victim of the elements".  One of the few known graves within Death Valley National Park.

 

 

 

Owl Hole Springs/Black Magic & New Deal Mines

 

Background:

Owl Hole Springs served as a mining camp for the nearby New Deal and Black Magic manganese mines.

What is left to see:

Scant ruins at the Springs site; several mine openings and one stone foundation at the New Deal mine.  A wooden ore chute, and the remains of terrace mining at the Black Magic Mine.

 

 

Ore Chute at Black Magic Mine

Panamint City

 

Background:

Panamint City is one of the most famous of the Death Valley ghost towns.  Silver was discovered here is 1873, and within a year, there were 2,000 people living in Panamint City.  Two Nevada senators, William Stewart and John Jones were heavily invested in the Panamint City mining claims.  The twenty-stamp Surprise Valley Mill/Smelter only operated for a couple of years in the mid-1870s, although mining continued on and off in the area until the end of the 19^th century.

 

Panamint City is famous for the silver “cannonballs” that were cast at the smelter for transportation through Surprise Canyon.  Because of their weight (several hundred pounds), it was impossible for bandits to steal them.  The Death Valley Days episode “Bandits of the Panamints” tells the story well.

What is left to see:

Periodic floods have destroyed many of the Panamint City and Surprise Canyon structures and roads over the years, including one in 1984 that destroyed the road through Surprise Canyon.  Some 4-wheel drive vehicles were still able to navigate the road, until that was stopped in 2001 because of an environmental lawsuit.

 

There are remains of many interesting structures in Surprise Canyon, and at Panamint City, although the latter are spread out over a 1-mile+ area.  The smokestack of the smelter is the most prominent.

 

The hike through Surprise Canyon is one of the most spectacular hikes in Death Valley.

 

Ruins of the Panamint City smelter. The photo was taken in April 1979 by Bill Cook, Mission Viejo, CA.

 

1979 photo of the ruins of the Panamint City smelter (Photo by Bill Cook, Mission Viejo, CA)

Queen of Sheba Mine/Carbonate

 

Background:

Carbonate Lead Mines were worked from 1908 to the early 1930s.  The driving force behind the mines was Jack Salsberry, who built a road between the mines and the Tonapah and Tidewater Railroad at Zabriskie.  Part of the route still bears his name – Salsberry Pass.  The adjoining Queen of Sheba Mine (extensive remains) was mined from 1923-1972.

What is left to see:

The remains at the Queen of Sheba mine are almost as extensive as those of Inyo Mine in Echo Canyon.  They include two shacks, extensive mill ruins, and an interesting ore shoot.  There is extensive rubble over a wide area. (Photos on next page – Queen of Sheba Mine)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skidoo

 

Background:

§  Post office established in 1906

§  The town was named after the phrase "23-skidoo", ostensibly because the nearest water supply was 23 miles away.  (According to Lingenfelter, the name came from Bob Montgomery’s wife Winnie, after her husband filed 23 claims in the area.)

§  $6,000,000 was taken from the mines

§  In 1908, a bank robber murdered an unarmed man.  The murderer was lynched by enraged townspeople several days later.

§  A revival in nearby Emigrant Canyon occurred in the 1930s.

What is left to see:

There are no remains of the town, but extensive mill ruins can be found above the town to the west.

 

There are also various ruins along the 14-mile road to Skidoo.

 

 

 

This post office map (National Archives) shows the location of Skidoo.  Founder Bob Montgomery wanted the town named after himself, as this early map indicates.  The Post Office originally called it “Hoveck”, after Matt Hoveck, general manger of the Skidoo mines.  Winnie Montgomery won out in the end, though, over both her husband and the U.S. Government, and the site was eventually called “Skidoo”.

Starr’s Mill

Background

This gold cyanide mill operated in the 1930s, processing ore from nearby Nemo Canyon.

What is left to see

Low stone walls, and cyanide tanks (the tanks are not visible from the road).  Also, 100 yards south of Starr’s Mill is Upper Emigrant Spring, which Bryan and Tucker-Bryan in  The Explorer’s Guide to Death Valley National Park identify as the location of the town of Emigrant Spring (1905/06).  There are no remains of the town, but there is a small water flow from a pipe at the springs.

 

Tucki Mountain

Background

One of the best 4x4 drives in DVNP (watch out for rock outcroppings at three places along the 9.9 mile route). 

 

The first period of production was from 1927-1951.  The site was also mined in 1974/75.

What is left to see

Several small buildings, including one that is stocked for emergency use (it contains canned food, tools, books/magazines, and even has a picture hanging on the wall).  A perilous walk to the mine that overlooks the ghost town provides views of several mine openings with ore lift mechanisms, wooden ladders, and a small shack.

 

Shack stocked with emergency supplies

 

Ubehebe Mine

 

Background

§  1875-1908 - copper mining

§  1908-1928 - lead mining

§  1940s-1951 - zinc mining

What’s left to see

One extant cabin, an interesting mine entrance, the remains of a tramway that once went up the mountain, and much rubble.

 

 

Warm Springs Camp/Gold Hill Mill

 

Background:

Warm Springs Camp boasts perhaps the most intact mining camp remains in Death Valley, and offer an interesting comparison between the old and the new.  The Gold Hill Mill was built c. 1939, and featured a diesel-powered arrastre.  Warm Springs Camp was last used by Pfizer Inc. to house workers for the nearby White Point Talc Mine.  It wasn’t abandoned until the early 1980s.

 

Gene Park of McMinnville, Oregon worked at the mines here in the 1960s.  He discusses the original owners of the camp and the building of the swimming pool:

 

"It was built by Louise Grantham and her Father.  The mine was called Grantham Mines.  I was working at the mine during the time the swimming pool was built as an equipment operator. This would have been around 1967-68.  At that time we were mining out of "Big Talc" and " #5" mines that were about 2 miles east of the camp.  The White Point Mine, if that is the portal just east of the camp, didn't exist when I was there and would have been built after Grantham sold out."

What is left to see:

Extensive remains of the Gold Hill Mill remain, including a fairly intact arrastre.  Warm Springs Camp is almost entirely intact, and includes several buildings (one with an impressive fire place), a swimming pool (Warm Springs flows 5 gallons a minute), and garden tools left in place when the site was abandoned.  There has been little deterioration at the site. 

 

 

c. 1939 Gold Hill Mill

Wildrose Canyon Kilns

 

Background:

The ten giant charcoal kilns at the mouth of Wildrose Canyon are still in perfect condition, over 100 years after they were built.  The kilns produced charcoal for use by the lead ore smelting operations located at Lookout, 25 miles to the west.

 

Sources

•  “Ballarat Town Layout”, “Map courtesy the General Store, “Lightfoot Louie Mgr.”
•  “Darwin, California”, by Robert P. Palazzo (1996, Western Places)
• “Death Valley and the Amargosa: A Land of Illusion”, by Richard E. Lingenfelter (1986, University of California Press)
• "Death Valley Ghost Towns: Volume 1 & 2", by Stanley W. Paher (1973, Nevada Publications)
• “Desert Shadows: A true story of the Charles Manson Family in Death Valley” by Bob Murphy (Sagebrush Press, 1993).
•  “The Explorer’s Guide to Death Valley National Park by T. Scott Bryan and Betty Tucker-Bryan (1995, University Press of Colorado)
• “Fort Irwin and Vicinity History of Mining Development”, by Larry M. Vredenburgh (1994, http://vredenburgh.org/mining_history/pages/fort_Irwin.html)
•  “The Modern Pioneers of the Amargosa Valley”, by Robert D. McCracken (Nye County Press, 1992)
• Death Valley brochure, National Park Service
• Color photos by Robert Jones, except as otherwise noted
• Post office records from the National Archives