Boom
and Bust
Gold
Mining in the Granite Hill Mining District
Josephine
County, Oregon
Kerby
Jackson
Introduction
The
Granite Hill Mining District, also known to history as Boardman's
Diggings and the Louse Creek District, is the smallest mining
district in South Western Oregon. Located in Josephine County, the
district starts in the west at the confluence of Louse Creek and
Morris Creek and then extends to the headwaters of the North and
South Forks of Louse Creek. All total, Granite Hill takes in a total
of only about 10 square miles, roughly equating to some 3200 acres of
ground lying somewhat to the north east of the City of Grants Pass,
Oregon. It is bounded to the north by the Jump Off Joe Creek District
(once known as Wines Camp, named for the notorious murdering miner,
Henry Wines), to the east by the Evans Creek District in Jackson
County and the south and the west, by the Grants Pass District.
Yet
despite its small size, Granite Hill represents one of the richest
mining districts anywhere on the West Coast. By today's prices,
millions of dollars worth of gold, both lode and placer, were taken
out of this small area during the course of only a few years time,
mainly by the American Gold Fields Company of Chicago, Illinois, who
in May of 1902 took over ownership of a group of lode claims owned by
the Booth Brothers.
Over
the next few years, the Granite Hill Mine, which included the
patented Granite Hill, Red Jacket, Jumbo and High Tariff claims, as
well as unpatented claims such as the Ida and the Terry, became the
site of a flurry of development.
In
December of 1903, the richest gold strike that Southern Oregon had
ever seen was made at the Granite Hill Mine, with the discovery of an
ore body that was so rich that news of the discovery was reported
from coast to coast, including the gold fields of the Yukon, and the
financial centers of Boston and New York. In fact, the strike was so
rich that for the first time in the history of Southern Oregon's
mining industry, a mine was actually placed under high security and
armed guards were employed.
Following
the strike at the Granite Hill, extensive capital and manpower came
flowing into the district. The Granite Hill Group became more than
just a mine and soon evolved into a community of nearly 200 people,
populated by mine workers and their families, as well as those who
serve the needs of miners.
A
positive side effect of the rich strike was a renewed interest in
Southern Oregon's mines that resulted in an influx of people and
capital into the area. Long neglected mines were re-opened, while new
ore processing mills sprung up throughout the Rogue River Valley.
Sudden prosperity came to the sleepy town of Grants Pass, Oregon
which suddenly experienced a boom as a result which led to a
population increase of nearly 20% in a few short years. Granite Hill
forever put the town “on the map”.
Among
those who came to join in on the strike was a beautiful young woman
who gave up a promising career as an actress with the popular Anna
Held Company and traded her life on the stage to run the hydraulic
giant at the isolated Forest Queen Mine where she was a full partner
with her father and brother.
Yet
the sudden prosperity at Granite Hill was short lived. Inside of only
a few short years, two shocking, well publicized murders wracked the
small mining community, while the lower levels of the Granite Hill
Mine itself were filled with groundwater that seeped into the mine
faster than it could be pumped out.
Meanwhile,
two shocking murders and their subsequent merry-go-round trials once
again brought national attention on the Granite Hill Mine, reminding
the entire nation that the gold rich hills of Southern Oregon were
still a wild and woolly place, especially since the accused, in both
cases, were so young.
By
the 1920's the Granite Hill District had fallen into decline as a
mining center until the pieces were finally picked up again by
Charles and Ida Archerd when they re-opened the Ida Mine. Despite
their best efforts, the couple found that the running of a gold mine
was not such an easy undertaking, especially when they were forced to
deal with the United States Government.
Copyright
Kerby Jackson 2012
ALL
RIGHTS ARE RESERVED
ISBN-13:
978-1477480106
ISBN-10:
1477480102
