The ‘big dog’ was one of California’s largest, most productive and longest lasting mines having been founded in 1850 (based on gold found in rock outcroppings on the surface) and remained in operation until 1956 (although it closed temporarily during World War II). This was California’s richest hard rock mine. By today’s pricing, this mine produced over 8 billion dollars in gold (nearly 6 million ounces). Most associated with the Bourn family, (they owned the mine from 1869 until 1929 until it was sold to Newmont Mining who then operated it until it finally closed. The Bourn’s empire was built on the gold mined from the rock-ore discovered thousands of feet below the surface – the deepest vertical section of the mine is slightly over 11,000 feet below the surface (more then 2 miles)! Some 367 miles of tunnels were drilled over the years. Today most of the mine is filled with water.
Besides this mine, the Bourns were also invested in what would become San Francisco’s water supply, and developed the city’s early gas and utilities system. In addition the family invested in Napa Valley real estate (their heirs still own land and operate Chase Cellars) and built the impressive Greystone Cellars stone winery building in St. Helena. Other contributions include the amazing Filoli Estate in Woodside, California and the Muckross House, Gardens & Traditional Farms near Killarny in Ireland.
This 875 acre property was purchased by the state of California in 1975 and is now the Empire Mine State Historic Park. Highlights for visitors include seeing the main mine shaft, visiting the blacksmith shop where individuals hammer away – demonstrating some of their craft, Empire Cottage – the impressive stone building (constructed with non gold bearing ore rock from the mine) that was used by the Bourn family for only a short time each year, the museum and gift shop including some very impressive crystalline gold specimens from the mines and the site of the old stamp mill (where the raw ore was smashed – the second process of harvesting the gold following the actual physical mining of the rock ore.
The park is about an hour and 15 minutes drive from downtown Sacramento. Plenty of parking on site. For more information visit www.empiremine.org
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