Stamp Mill Engine - Gold Hill Historical Museum - Gold Hill, OR - Preserved Machines on Public Display on Waymarking.com

Located outside the home of the Gold Hill Historical Museum are a number of preserved machines on public display. One particular machine residing here is a large stamp mill engine used in crushing ore (to retrieve precious metals) and contains a placard that reads:

5 STAMP MILL

This stamp mill was purchased from Union Iron Works of San Francisco in 1892. It was shipped by rail to Gold Hill. From there it was pulled up Sardine Creek by mules, wagins and sled to be installed at Josiah H. Beeman's Lucky Bart Mine. The rich veins of gold ore lasted until 1907 before they began to lean out.

Ore was transported from the seven Luck Bart Mine tuneels by sled, then ore car to this stamp mill. Milling continued intermittently, as ore became available, until the late 1930s. As of 1938 the mill had crushed and processed 14,000 tons of ore with values running from 8 to 12 ounces of gold per ton. In 1920 gold was $12 per troy ounce.

1n 1938 Josiah's widow Hattie leased out the Lucky Bart operation. There were several owners over the years until 1975 when the mill was finally closed down permanently due to the need for expensive repairs. The Luck Bart Mine is still operating today but with more modern machinery.

It is ineresting to note that gold produced by the 5 stamp mill is what enabled Josiah Beenman to build this fine two story house in 1902. In 1993 the building became the Gold Hill Historical Society's Museum. Hence, the stamp mill has now 'Come Home' for its final rest.

Another placard on the stamp mill reads:

May be the only surviving and intact stamp mill in Southern Oregon. Manufactured in San Francisco in 1892 and shipped to Oregon that same year. A set of belts and wheel cause the stamps rise, then gravity makes them fall, crushing the ore to powder which was washed down the metal slick plate and onto the shaker table.

Type of Machine: Stamp Mill Engine Year the machine was built: 1892 Year the machine was put on display: 1993 Is there online documentation for this machine: Not listed

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Date Logged Log   12/26/2014 ddtfamily visited it