The Vulture mine was discovered in 1863 by Henry Wickenburg and became the largest gold producing mine in Arizona. The mine changed owners several times over the years surviving boom and bust periods, thefts of high grade gold ore, financial scandals, and sketchy water supplies. The mine finaly closed for good in 1942 when the US government decided that gold mining was not a priority wartime industry although the tailings have been mined as recently as the 1990s. Over the years more than $200 million has been taken from the mine.
Today the mine is privately owned and for sale. Many of the buildings have collapsed and others are rapidly deteriorating. The Vulture mine preservation and restoration association is currently trying to raise money to purchase the property and preserve or restore the mine as a historical treasure to be used for education, recreation and research.
I'm a little suspicious of the Hercules Powder company Dynamite case in this shot I think it may have been planted as set dressing but then again perhaps it was just a useful wooden box!
"Many of the buildings have collapsed"
The adobi bricks starting to return to plain mud
The traditional thunder box shot with not one but two dead lizards!
This is the entry shaft down the mine some three thousand feet deep at a perfect 35 degrees all the way but now flooded below about 300 feet, and too dangerous for casual visits. One of the preservation association told me that the only foot holds in the shaft were the sleepers between the rails and it was very hard work going up and down as the sleepers were 2 1/2 feet apart which is a long way at 35 degrees!
To be continued..........
Today the mine is privately owned and for sale. Many of the buildings have collapsed and others are rapidly deteriorating. The Vulture mine preservation and restoration association is currently trying to raise money to purchase the property and preserve or restore the mine as a historical treasure to be used for education, recreation and research.
I'm a little suspicious of the Hercules Powder company Dynamite case in this shot I think it may have been planted as set dressing but then again perhaps it was just a useful wooden box!
"Many of the buildings have collapsed"
The adobi bricks starting to return to plain mud
The traditional thunder box shot with not one but two dead lizards!
This is the entry shaft down the mine some three thousand feet deep at a perfect 35 degrees all the way but now flooded below about 300 feet, and too dangerous for casual visits. One of the preservation association told me that the only foot holds in the shaft were the sleepers between the rails and it was very hard work going up and down as the sleepers were 2 1/2 feet apart which is a long way at 35 degrees!
To be continued..........
