“This gold mining claim was first discovered in 1898 and
expanded by further discoveries of “veins of minimal bearing quartz” in the
following years. In 1900 J. E. Canter discovered 1500 linear feet by 600 feet
wide of lode and proclaimed that his claim will be known as “Golden Gate.”
Between 1900 and 1902 the mine was purchased by Ed. F. Donovan and Joe A. Brown
and they began construction tunnels, trails, chutes and reforming the wagon
road. Brown and Donovan owned and operated the mine from 1902 to 1927 even
though the mine was idle through much of the later years.
“Miners hand drilled ore from quartz veins within five adit
tunnels ranging from 300 to 1800 feet and then shipped it down the 2300 foot
long aerial tramway to the ten stamp mill you are looking at today. The water
powered stamp mill pulverized the ore and then extracted the gold using
mercury. 
“The Golden Gate Mine produced the only gold in the West
Walker River Mining District. In 1908 the mine boasted a net of mor than $12
per ton causing the Mono County industry report to claim “The Golden Gae is a producer
of great merit.” Between September 1912 and April 1913, six thousand eight
hundren and forty-eight tons of ore were crushed yielding $33,646. This is
quite an accomplishment considering the mill and most of the buildings were
destroyed numerous times by avalanches.”
The structure is currently maintained by the state of
California in “arrested decay” as a means to preserve the surviving structure.
Zina Abbott is the pen name used by Robyn
Echols for her historical novels. Her novel, Family Secrets, was
published by Fire Star Press in October 2014 and her novelette, A
Christmas Promise, was published by Prairie Rose Publications in
November 2014. The first two novellas in the Eastern Sierra Brides 1884 series, Big Meadows Valentine and A Resurrected Heart, are now available.
The author is a member of Women Writing the West, American Night Writers Association, and Modesto Writers Meet Up. She currently lives with her husband in California near the “Gateway to Yosemite.” She enjoys any kind of history including family history. When she is not piecing together novel plots, she pieces together quilt blocks.
Zina Abbott Author Links:
Purchase Links for Big Meadows Valentine:
Purchase Links for A Resurrected Heart:
Mining history is so interesting to me. The mining in Colorado, with the altitude, is another story that bears studying. Thank you for sharing this little piece of history. I enjoyed it. Doris
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