Copyright Gold Maps Online, LLC | Website by AshWebStudioGoogle Earth is owned by Google, Inc. Gold Maps Online is not affiliated with Google, Inc. Oregon Active & Abandoned Gold Mining Claims Map. Next, we drove down the south side of the saddle, toward what we hoped would be Vesuvius mine, which was dubiously marked on the map. The mines on the Cabell City are larger than they appear upon initial observation. In fact, most of the richest gold mining areas in the United States are places where the early miners worked in the 1850s and 1860s. Canyon City in particular is worth noting because it was well-documented that this was the single richest placer gold deposit in the entire state of Oregon. Southern Oregon is known for it's rich "pocket gold.". The 15 Best Abandoned Places in Oregon For 2023 And Beyond November 29, 2022 by John Bourscheid With a reputation for being slightly quirky, it's no surprise that Oregon is a gold mine for interesting and unusual abandoned places to visit and explore. They struck it rich in 1901. He returned years later to get the gold, which at that time was said to have been in the vicinity of J.N.T. They may suggest a better adventure. Gold can be found in all waters in this area. Reply. Each of us explored around the area a little. (Later, at home, I discovered that the town was located below the slag pile, not on the road where the entrance is located.). Many people think that the Armstrong Nugget is the biggest, but Althouse Creek an the Illinois River produces some that were much larger that were smelted down. The pocket lode discovered by Chavner and company was depleted in just eight months but the area grew into the town of Gold Hill. Image: Bureau of Land Management SO GOES THE origin story for one of Southern Oregon's most famous lost-gold-mine stories: The Lost Soldier Mine. There are still hidden "pockets" waiting to be discovered in Oregon. Call Ken 541-670-3938 (West Fork Cow Creek) We have three 20 Acre Mining Claims on West Fork Cow Creek in Douglas County Oregon - $4,000 each or all 3 Claims for $8.000. It juts out from the hillside a few feet, kind of like a porch on the front of a house. Old grocery store in Mitchell. The easiest way to drive from southern Oregon coast into the Klamath Mountains is to head south into California. That rich history makes an Oregon gold rush road trip a wonderful tour of the state. The major gold-bearing areas in Oregon are primarily in the southern part (Grants Pass & Medford area) and the eastern part of the state (Baker City, John Day area). The period of richest mining in Oregon was between the 1850s and 1880s. The image above comes from the overview map focusing . Perhaps they have other claims to work and they never got time to work this one. Breaking off several pieces he soon had it assayed and found it would be worth $415,000 per ton. In 1859 Mattie Collins retrieved a gold nugget weighing 17 pounds from the North Fork of Althouse Creek. There are lots of miners out there who dont bother to file mining claims. The gold strike at Gold Beach was one of the more interesting ones in Oregons history, because the gold here is literally found within the sands of the beach. The richest stretch can be found in the steep canyon areas upstream from Huntington and Durkee. amzn_assoc_region = "US"; The town exploded and thousands of miners ventured north to Oregon. The headwaters of the river start as far east as the Cascade Mountains, but the richest stretch of the river starts near the town of Gold Hill where Bear Creek enters. Remember, it was 1921, and women largely didnt have a part in such matters. Gold still exists in the veins of the abandoned mine, and Rise Gold, the mining corporation that purchased the mine in 2017, has reason to believe that reopening it makes financial . amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true"; Just a few miles from Canyonville Oregon. The numerous tributaries of Rogue River have excellent locations which have been productive. Also, I highly recommend visiting the Bohemia Gold Mining Museum in Cottage Grove. 80 Acre Oregon Claims For Sale The Independence Mine is the larger development of the Cougar/Independence Mines. The high elevation made for hard living during the winter months. It really is a unique experience. amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; Save the GPX file on your desktop. What a treasure youve found! Lost or abandoned cabins pop up so often in legends of missing gold mines and buried treasure that they are almost a clich. Lost Mines and Treasure in Oregon. From discarded old mining towns to abandoned logging regions, Oregon has it all. refresh results with search filters open search menu. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. Also called quicksilver, mercury was used with chlorine and arsenic to pull gold from ore through chemical amalgamation.. As we broke through the underbrush into a small clearing, the very first thing we noticed was a bright orange creek. These places will still have some gold if you know how to find it. The Lost Dutchman Mining Association has several claims within the Burnt River Canyon. --Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB. Yellow dots are mines with gold listed as a primary commodity. Hi, I was just going through some documents left by my husbands ancestors. Numerous gulches near Weatherby including the Raven placers just below the Gold Ridge mine as well as the rivers tributaries Sisley Creek and Chicken Creek were also very productive. Greater than 250,000 oz. He continued to search for the elusive cavern for the next six months, without success. Canyon City is a few miles south of the town of John Day. OR#105795358. All rights reserved (About Us). Its whisper was on our lips, and we breathed the name as though we were one. Millers field. Black Swan Mine: #L1775: Oregon: TBE: S, $24,500: placer gold, lode gold, meteorite: Old Timer's Claims + Projects: #L1935: Montana: TBE: S, $60k . 50% off the 1st month for Content Ad. The road is gated, but at the time of our visit there were no signs posted about trespassing. Hydraulic mines scoured the surrounding hillsides to release the gold into the miners sluice boxes. Panning is allowed during the summer at the day-use area, which is just across the highway from a small campground. Use Coupon Code: 50PERCENT, The Boundary Red Mountain Mine - Located in Whatcom County, Washington, USA, For Content Ads. Of course the risk would be that someone else could file a claim and you would lose access to your spot. There were three gold dredges working in this valley from 1913 to 1954. Finally, we set out down the old road, into that vast green tunnel. "Several structures remain intact, including the "Four Horsemen Hotel" and an ore processing building. It just isnt safe, especially with children. View larger map. The mine was last worked in 1950 and had produced 22,509 oz of gold since 1907. Below are 12 of the top gold mining regions in Oregon. Legend further has it that the treasure is guarded by the ghost of a man who was killed and buried with the loot. amzn_assoc_title = "My Amazon Picks"; I'm in perfect shape if you count round as a shape. While you're in the area, check out the Oregon Vortex, a mysterious roadside attraction built on an old gold mining claim. The mighty Rogue River is the main drainage that empties the Southern Oregon gold country. Upon their return to the fort, they told of their find, but anyone who searched was not able to locate the mine again. I found this site and you did a great job discussing the history. In 1859, miners struck gold in what is today the Opal Creek Wilderness, and later established a mining camp called Jawbone Flats. So far, BLM has inventoried 500. OREGON HARD ROCK LODE MINING CLAIM GOLD SILVER THE VAULT CLAIM PRETTY COOL! So dont be too quick to write-off areas that you assume are mined out. Another place worth mentioning is Buck Gulch near Susanville. Rarely is it because all of the gold is gone. They are stored locally on your computer or mobile device. Youll be amazed at how crisp the satellite imagery is and how much exploring and planning you can do from the comfort of your home. The owner has been using this ranch to pasture 175 pairs from May to October on a normal water year plus has put up as much as 100 tons of meadow hay.The property has good stock water and approximately 1 miles of Silvies River running through the property. If there is actually gold present at the location, it might seem strange that anyone would abandon their claim. Head into the mountains south of Jacksonville to find the Sterling Mine Ditch Trail, a spot where gold was discovered in 1854 along Sterling Creek. Downtown Cornucopia during the late 1800s. It is interesting to see the place they are from. The gold deposits continue downstream all the way to the Oregon beaches (which also contain gold). The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Scrambling up the backside is safe and not very steep, and its just a short climb anyway. Gold was found in this area during the 1860s and several small mining towns dot the landscape. Even with these restrictions, a patient gold prospector can still find very good gold here. The mines in the Galice District extended north and west of the town of Galice in northern Josephine County. What would we find, if anything? Althouse Creek is in far southern Oregon and drains the high country right at the California border. The Powder River is yet another gold bearing river in Oregon, starting in the Blue Mountains above Sumpter, downstream through Baker City, and eventually entering the Snake River on Brownlee Reservoir. Double click here to add text. Most are on private land. amzn_assoc_title = "Recommended Gear: "; Today, Jacksonville puts its history front and center. Idaho Gold Maps. There are lots of reasons why a claim may become abandoned. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "raregold-20"; The slag pile trailed far down the hill, out of sight. This district is in a remote part of Oregon's Blue Mountains and straddles the Baker-Grant county line. Here, lived an elderly man who upon his deathbed, revealed that he had placed $10,000 in a coffee can and hid in a tree stump near his cabin. Nearly half of Southwest Oregon miners were Chinese in the 1860s. And while you wont likely find any giant gold nuggets (we cant all be Todd Hoffman), you can still pan for gold in the chilly mountain creeks, just like the prospectors who came before. amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; Later in the century, corporations replaced small, independent mine operations as mining company towns sprang up all over the state. After panning proved to be inefficient, miners switched to more powerful hydraulic methods, using some 400 workers to dig a 26.5-mile ditch to carry water to the mine. The Oregon gold rush started in 1850, when Josephine Creek, on the Illinois River became the site of the states first significant gold discovery. Some incredible gold nuggets have been found in the state, and there are countless creeks and rivers where gold is hidden within the gravels. Many old mining camps and towns in Oregon's eastern Blue Mountains are great places to metal detect. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. We took our 6 kids up for three days of hiking and exploring around Musick Mine. Gold was discovered in the Blue Mountains in 1862 and the nearby Sumpter Valley was awash with gold that drained from the mountains. This mine was featured on the SyFy series "Ghost Mine,". When contacting us, include: location (e.g., GPS point with latitude and longitude, name of nearest road and Assessor's Parcel Number), and It was speculated; however, that the gold still lies at Sand Springs. Commodity. Prospectors once flooded the Oregon wilds, panning rivers and dredging up the desert in search of prosperity. There are dozens of reasons why a mining claim (still very rich with gold) might become abandoned. Later in the century, corporations replaced small, independent mine operations as mining company towns sprang up all over the state. Reserves have been estimated but not blocked. Placer gold was first mined here in the 1860s, eventually transitioning to lode mining as the placers ran out. By 1908 a small city thrived there with a mill, an 1800-foot tramway, assay office, saw mill, bunkhouse, store, and post office. Quartzville Creek flows between the towns of Sweet Home and Detroit, and is a popular area for recreation of all stripes gold panning included. Miners had crawled over every inch of western Oregon, but there was still gold to be found out in the high desert to the east. More often the claim holder simply forgot to do their annual paperwork, lost interest in the claim, or perhaps even died. Though, he surely hoped for a reprieve the pair were hanged anyway. 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