Rush, AR
Posted by: 
frankwim
N 36° 07.897 W 092° 34.187
15S E 538710 N 3998632
Once a boom town with 5000 residents. Zinc was mined primarily for the WWI war effort. The town and mining operation was mostly abandoned after the war when the price of zinc plummeted.
Waymark Code: WM4XRB
Location: Arkansas, United States
Date Posted: 10/11/2008
Views: 66
The Ghost Town of Rush stands as mute testimony to the activities of a bygone era. Zinc carbonate ore was discovered in this valley in the late 1880’s and the rush was on. Sone the hillside was dotted with mines sprouting colorful names such as Morning Star, White Eagle, Monte Cristo, Red Cloud, Buelah, MacIntosh, Edith and Yellow Rose. The population of the valley rose and fell with the demands of the zinc market. The peak came during the period 1914-1917 when more than 5000 people were said to have lived and worked here. At the end of WWI the bottom fell out of the zinc market and mines were abandoned. These buildings date from the early 1900’s and were inhabited until the 1960’s serving as homes and a general store and post office.
There are two designated trails. The longer trail will take you to an abandoned mine where the shorter trail is a tour through the ruins of the blacksmith shop, a hotel, a general store, and ruins of the mill and smelter.
Reason for Abandonment: Economic
Date Abandoned: 01/01/1965
Related Web Page: [Web Link]
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