History / Empire Mine State Park
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The History of Nevada City More History: Empire Mine Evolves From Accident to Prominence It could be said that hardrock mining around Grass Valley started by accident. George McKnight came by chance in 1850 upon an outcropping of quartz on a hillside near Wolf Creek where the white rock was laced with yellow....full story Enjoy this series of short stories on the California Gold Rush More history of the area in the Deer Creek School Project website |
| Empire Mine State Park
The Visitor Center and mine are located off Hwy. 174 at 10791 E. Empire St., Grass Valley; (530) 273-8522. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day. See calendar of events on their website. The Empire Mine State Historic Park is the site of the oldest, richest, hard rock gold mine in California. From the time in 1850 when George Roberts discovered gold in a quartz outcropping, which became the Ophir vein, until the mine's closure in 1956, an estimated 5,800,000 oz. of gold were extracted from 367 miles of underground passage. The Empire changed hands several times throughout its history, usually due to a temporary lessening in gold production. As work spread that hard rock gold had been found in California, miners from the tin and copper mines of Cornwall, Britain, flocked to this area to share their wealth of experience and expertise in hard rock technique. Of particular note 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 1870's until 1956. During that time, the Empire thrived under two separate ownerships. William Bourn Jr. inherited the Empire Mine from his father in 1877. With his own financial backing and the "mining genius" of his younger cousin, George Starr, the Empire became a "showplace in mining technology" at the turn of the century. The Bourn family Starrs enjoyed a rich and active social life as well, as evidenced by the lovely gardens, residences, and social clubhouse. Newmont Mining Corp., spurred by the inspiration and determination of Fred Searls of Nevada city, purchased the Empire from Bourn in 1929. Newmont bought the North Star Mine as well, resulting in the formation of Empire-Star Mines, Ltd. Newmont continued its exploration development and further sophistication of the new mining complex under the management of Fred Nobs and then Jack Mann. By the time of the mine in 1956, an incline depth of 11,007 ft. had been reached. The 367 miles of shafts, drifts,and large caverned-out scopes were fully electrified, continually pumped, and renowned for maintaining a phenomenal degree of personal safety. It was a good mine to work in and a recognized training for every phase of mining. The forced shut-down of the Empire-Starr Mines by the war production board started a gradual decline in profits. Even though the mine re-activated, expenses far exceeded the price of gold, which had been fixed by the government in 1934 at $35 an ounce. The mine shut off its pumps and auctioned equipment and buildings. For close to 20 years the mine was idle. Even the gigantic headframe was felled in 1969 to eliminate a potential public hazard. In 1975, the Empire properties were purchased by the State of California for the sum of $1,250,000. The park consists of 784 acres including approximately 750 acres of forested backcountry. The Empire Mine State Historic Park is undergoing gradual restoration which will enable the visiting public to understand and appreciate the importance and fascinating story of hard rock mining in our history...and our future. An emphasis on historic integrity is inherent in the development of the park. It was a source of great pride to its owners and its work force, and the Empire remains a continual source of pride, enlightenment and enjoyment to us even now. |
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