“Old English” Mine

This was a huge mine camp with a long history of operation that we were able to get a private tour of in 2003. At the time, the camp was guarded full-time by caretakers. They showed us around and gave a great tour, even allowing us to go underground and look around, something many mine operators are afraid of.

Recently, however, the longtime caretakers were let go and the mine abandoned. It hasn’t taken long for the scrapers and looters to move in. When I heard about it, I had to see the damage for myself. It is sad to see history lost. This place is one of a kind.

I have taken many photos of the mining camp over the years. A tramway heads over the mountain.

"Old English" Mine

148 photos

Someone has looted the work shop.

The compressor.

Ore skip.

Toilet.

Dry room windows.

Dry room light.

Mine office.

Headframe.

Hoist.

Cabin still life.

We say farewell to a lonely swing set.

Back at the school house.

A return to the camp in 2013 finds the place abandoned and semi-looted.

Swing set.

The school room has suffered over the last ten years.

The chalkboard still has the names of hundreds of people who have visited.

Some familiar names.

Miner's residence near the school house.

Miner's residences.

Superintendent's house.

Garage.

Superintendent's house.

Good place for a bathtub.

Stone stairs come down from the Superintendent's house.

Outdoor fireplace.

The Superintendent's house has a large porch and great view.

View from inside on the porch.

Few items remain in the bathroom.

Kitchen has already has its appliances stolen.

Looking down on the little miner's camp.

Walking up the road, we spot a cabin hidden in the trees.

This cabin is all by itself.

Old knob and tube light socket.

Cozy front room.

Bedroom.

Dresser and typewriter in house. We discover on a later visit this has been stolen.

Kitchen.

At the mill, looking up at the headframe.

Tressle and ore bin at the mine camp.

Workshop and Dry room.

We check out the massive two piston air compressor.

Oil level gauge.

Air chamber.

Ingersoll-Rand Imperial Class PRE-2, Cross compound horizontal air compressor. Made in 1946.

We peek inside what we guess is the former caretaker's house.

Bathroom.

Rememberance.

A few supplies in the cabinet.

Extra fridges in the living room.

The kitchen is still stocked. I'm amazed at all the things still here.

Kitchen table.

Books and sundries on the table.

Parts room. 2013. Compare to 2003 photo.

Place looks pretty torn up.

Sullivan vertical air compressor with electric motor.

The copper of the electric motor is already being harvested. I can't imagine this even being worth the time to do. The loss of history is sad.

Double drum hoist. 2013.

Sullivan vertical air compressor and electric motor.

Switch panel.

Hoistman's position. 2013.

Inside the dry room.

Bathroom in the Dry room.

"He doesn't have Athlete's Foot. Why? He doesn't wear shoes. Onox your shoe-softened skin after every shower."

"Keep your feet fit!"

1942 Marchant Calculating Machine Company's electric calculator machine.

Mine office.

Mine office bathroom.

Out the window at the office.

Photographic print developer and dryer.

Eugene Dietzgen Company Model A Ammonia Print Developer.

Dryer.

The mine vault is open. Where they kept all the gold!

Darn! The vault is just full of paperwork.

Looking up at the tressle.

Old skip car.

Adit.

Headframe over a deep shaft.

What's around the corner?

Ore car trestle.

We take a look in the workshop. 2013.

Some things have gone missing in the last ten years.

Plenty of drill steel left.

Workshop view.

Micah looks out a window on the tressle.

Mine horns for emergencies.

Mine camp.

Looking down at the camp.

Another interesting miner's residence.

We peek inside.

The place has fallen into ruin.

Cans and rope.

Pure Shellac.

DDT! You don't find that around much anymore.

Cabin on the hill.

Mine camp.

250 HP Westinghouse Electric Motor.

Historian Shawn Hall joins us for a tour of the mine camp. He likes his new truck.

Our group meets with the caretakers of the mine. We were fortunate enough to get a private tour of the mine. 2003.

Lewis takes some photos of the mill.

Drill just laying around.

Giant double compressor.

Electric power controls.

Another view of the massive compressor.

Shawn and Brad examine the manufacturer's markings.

Machine works.

Shawn and William examine the compressor.

Another shot of the switches.

Cat and William in a workroom.

Small assay furnace.

Drill bits waiting for action.

Werner looks at the fitting supplies.

Lewis and Werner check out more supplies on a work table. Nice light bulb.

Commissary Price List. A Carton of Tobacco is $1.20. When is the last time you heard of Oxydol, Skat, Klex or Lux soap?

Old battery in the workshop.

Lewis, Cat, William and Brad in the fitting room.

Cat takes a photo of the mill.

Work shop, ore bins and trestle.

Tram terminus and mill.

More mine camp buildings.

Bob shows us the miner's changing room. It is filled with ore samples now.

Showers and ore samples.

Bathroom (with ore samples).

Ore car trestle transported the ore from the shaft to the ore bins.

Norberg double drum hoist with 125HP Westinghouse electric motor for the main shaft.

Vertical compressor.

Werner and a electric motor.

150HP Sullivan WN-31 Vertical Air Compressor with electric motor powering compressor.

Electric control board.

William runs the show as the hoist operator.

Hoist operator's control levers for the hoists. Level indicator is through the window.

Another hoist. This one raises and lowers a skip.

The main shaft headframe.

Skip.

Inside another metal workshop.

Up on the trestle over to the ore bins.

Looking around a work shop.

View from the main shaft.

The school playground. Yep, the mine camp had a school.

Some of the many houses in the camp.

Peeking in a window.

Another house.

Residence.

In the school house with the caretakers.

Old heater in the school house.

All the gang sign their names on the chalkboard.

William studies hard.

You don't see posters like this anymore.

School room.