Empire Mine State Historic Park
Encyclopedia
Empire Mine State Historic Park is a state-protected mine and park in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Grass Valley, California
. The Empire Mine is on the National Register of Historic Places
and a federal Historic District
. Since 1975, California State Parks has administered and maintained the mine as a historic site. The Empire Mine is "one of the oldest, largest, deepest, longest and richest gold mines in California" http://parks.ca.gov/?page_id=499. Between 1850 until its closure in 1956, the Empire Mine produced 5.8 million ounces of gold
, extracted from 367 miles (590.6 km) of underground passages.
, England
, arrived to share their experience and expertise in hard rock mining. Particularly important was the Cornish contribution of a unique system of pumps, operated on steam, which emptied the depths of the mine of its constant water seepage. This enabled increased productivity and expansion underground. The Cornish provided the bulk of the labor force from the late 1870s until the mine’s closure eighty years later.
William Bowers Bourn II
inherited the Empire Mine in 1887. http://www.calgoldrush.com/travel/mine.html With his financial backing and the mining knowledge of his younger cousin, George Starr, the Empire Mine became famous for its mining technology, while the grounds became known for their gardens, residences, and social clubhouse. The noise was constant and could be heard from three miles (5 km) away.
In 1929, at the recommendation of Fred Searls of Nevada City
, Newmont Mining Corp. purchased the Empire Mine from Bourn. Newmont also purchased the North Star Mine
, resulting in Empire-Star Mines, Ltd. The business was managed by Fred Nobs and later by Jack Mann. By the 1950s, inflation costs for gold mining were leaving the operation unprofitable. In 1956 a crippling miners strike
over falling wages ceased operations. The mine was officially closed a year later on May 28, 1957 when the last water pumps were shut and removed. In its final year of operation in 1956, the Empire Mine had reached an incline depth of 11007 ft (3,354.9 m).
In 1975, California State Parks purchased the Empire Mine property to create a state historic park. The state park now contains 813 acres (3.3 km²) including forested backcountry.http://www.ncgold.com/History/EmpireMine/history.html
of the entire mine. It was a valuable tool for mapping the shafts and stopes, spread out a mile deep and 2½ miles wide under the surface of the ground. What was a tightly guarded corporate secret for nearly 100 years is now one stop on the guided tour.
The park's museum contains a scale model of the underground workings of the Empire/Star mine complex, exhibits of ore samples from local mines, a recreated Assay Office and a collection of minerals.
There are 13 acres (52,609.2 m²) of gardens to tour.
http://www.empiremine.org
Grass Valley, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Grass Valley had a population of 12,860. The population density was 2,711.3 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Grass Valley was 11,493 White, 46 African American, 208 Native American, 188 Asian, 9 Pacific Islander, 419 from other...
. The Empire Mine is on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
and a federal Historic District
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
. Since 1975, California State Parks has administered and maintained the mine as a historic site. The Empire Mine is "one of the oldest, largest, deepest, longest and richest gold mines in California" http://parks.ca.gov/?page_id=499. Between 1850 until its closure in 1956, the Empire Mine produced 5.8 million ounces of gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
, extracted from 367 miles (590.6 km) of underground passages.
History
In 1850, George D. Roberts discovered gold in a quartz outcropping which became the Ophir vein. As word spread that hard rock gold had been found in California, miners from the tin and copper mines of CornwallCornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, arrived to share their experience and expertise in hard rock mining. Particularly important was the Cornish contribution of a unique system of pumps, operated on steam, which emptied the depths of the mine of its constant water seepage. This enabled increased productivity and expansion underground. The Cornish provided the bulk of the labor force from the late 1870s until the mine’s closure eighty years later.
William Bowers Bourn II
William Bowers Bourn II
William Bowers Bourn II was an American entrepreneur and builder of Filoli the country estate in San Mateo County, California.-Biography:...
inherited the Empire Mine in 1887. http://www.calgoldrush.com/travel/mine.html With his financial backing and the mining knowledge of his younger cousin, George Starr, the Empire Mine became famous for its mining technology, while the grounds became known for their gardens, residences, and social clubhouse. The noise was constant and could be heard from three miles (5 km) away.
In 1929, at the recommendation of Fred Searls of Nevada City
Nevada City, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Nevada City had a population of 3,068. The population density was 1,399.7 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Nevada City was 2,837 White, 26 African American, 28 Native American, 46 Asian, 0 Pacific Islander, 40 from other races,...
, Newmont Mining Corp. purchased the Empire Mine from Bourn. Newmont also purchased the North Star Mine
North Star Mine
The North Star Mine was located on Lafayette Hill a short distance south of Grass Valley, California, USA. It was the second largest producer of gold during California’s Gold Rush. In 1898, the largest ever Pelton wheel for its time was built for the mine. The North Star Mine Company also owned...
, resulting in Empire-Star Mines, Ltd. The business was managed by Fred Nobs and later by Jack Mann. By the 1950s, inflation costs for gold mining were leaving the operation unprofitable. In 1956 a crippling miners strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
over falling wages ceased operations. The mine was officially closed a year later on May 28, 1957 when the last water pumps were shut and removed. In its final year of operation in 1956, the Empire Mine had reached an incline depth of 11007 ft (3,354.9 m).
In 1975, California State Parks purchased the Empire Mine property to create a state historic park. The state park now contains 813 acres (3.3 km²) including forested backcountry.http://www.ncgold.com/History/EmpireMine/history.html
The Secret Room
During its operation, the Empire Mine had "The Secret Room." This room contained an accurate scale modelScale model
A scale model is a physical model, a representation or copy of an object that is larger or smaller than the actual size of the object, which seeks to maintain the relative proportions of the physical size of the original object. Very often the scale model is used as a guide to making the object in...
of the entire mine. It was a valuable tool for mapping the shafts and stopes, spread out a mile deep and 2½ miles wide under the surface of the ground. What was a tightly guarded corporate secret for nearly 100 years is now one stop on the guided tour.
Attractions
On weekends from May through October, volunteers dressed in Edwardian clothing give living history tours of the Bourn Cottage, the 1890s country estate home of William Bourn, Jr., and the Mineyard, with demonstrations of mine operations.The park's museum contains a scale model of the underground workings of the Empire/Star mine complex, exhibits of ore samples from local mines, a recreated Assay Office and a collection of minerals.
There are 13 acres (52,609.2 m²) of gardens to tour.
Empire Mine Park Association
The EMPA provides of the interpretive and educational goals of this state historic park through donations, visitor center sales, membership dues and special events. It has a very active volunteer group.http://www.empiremine.org
See also
Further reading
- Empire Mill and Mining Company (Gold Hill, Nev.), Giffin, O. G., Graves, W., & Nesmith, J. G. (1861). Empire Mill and Mining Company Collection.
- Wagner, H. H. (1939). The Empire Mine, Nevada County : registered landmark #298. California historical survey series : historic landmarks, monuments and state parks. Berkeley, Calif: State of California, Dept. of Natural Resources, Division of Parks.
- Carey, L. F. (1971). The Empire Mine properties: 1122 acres in the Sierra Nevada foothills, Grass Valley, Nevada County, California. Grass Valley, Calif: L.F. Carey, Realtor, Investment Properties.
- McQuiston, F. W. (1986). Gold: the saga of the Empire Mine, 1850–1956. [Grass Valley? Calif.]: Empire Mine Park Association.
- Steinfeld, C. C. (1996). The Bourn dynasty: the Empire Mine's golden era, 1869–1929. Grass Valley, CA: Empire Mine Park Association.