I am not a professional photographer, so these are very much amateur shots on a compact digital only. However – love Western USA and in particular the desert and ghost towns around Death Valley on the California / Nevada border.
Did something mad earlier this month and went for the weekend. Flew out from London on a Friday to Las Vegas, and back out of Los Angeles on the Sunday afternoon. Had a full 24 hours exploring Death Valley armed with a rental SUV.
Never been in the winter before, so the temperature (70 degrees) meant it was easier to get about and I was happy to look inside some of the ruins and mines – my previous trips have always been in July / August when most days are around 115 - 120 degrees, so you tire very quickly and have to be careful of certain rattling reptiles.
Anyway – some history and pics follow of the abandoned Eureka Mine:
Brief history
Several buildings still stand from the mine's boom days around 1906. One of the gold mine's founders, Pete Aguereberry, lived in these old shacks. He partnered with a prospector, Shorty Harris, and the two planned to found a town named Harrisberry. Later, as the tale goes, Shorty tried to take credit for the claim, and renamed the town Harrisburg. But when the mine's output decreased, Shorty left. Pete remained, and worked the mine for some 40 years.
During the mine's heyday, some 300 people lived in "Harrisberry", most in a tent city that sprang up across the road from Pete Aguereberry's house. All those tents are long gone, but Pete's home and a few other shacks still stand.
The dry desert air has kept much of the camp in fairly good condition – so much so you can still see the signs that Pete Aguereberry had all the modern conveniences, including electricity and indoor plumbing. Wander around and you find a couple of old refrigerators, light sockets, and even his toilet and shower.
View from up high - the camp:
Not a bad view
A very primitive shower
Circle around the hill from the Aguereberry Mining Camp, and you'll find the old Cashier Mill, and the mineshafts leading down into the Eureka Mine.
The Mill
And the mine (several openings here). Kicked myself for not having a torch:
On a table inside one of the mine openings:
The mine in its prime:
Plus – just up the road – presumably dumped at a later date is a fine American motor.
Can't wait to go back... So many mines and ghostowns, so little time!
Did something mad earlier this month and went for the weekend. Flew out from London on a Friday to Las Vegas, and back out of Los Angeles on the Sunday afternoon. Had a full 24 hours exploring Death Valley armed with a rental SUV.
Never been in the winter before, so the temperature (70 degrees) meant it was easier to get about and I was happy to look inside some of the ruins and mines – my previous trips have always been in July / August when most days are around 115 - 120 degrees, so you tire very quickly and have to be careful of certain rattling reptiles.
Anyway – some history and pics follow of the abandoned Eureka Mine:
Brief history
Several buildings still stand from the mine's boom days around 1906. One of the gold mine's founders, Pete Aguereberry, lived in these old shacks. He partnered with a prospector, Shorty Harris, and the two planned to found a town named Harrisberry. Later, as the tale goes, Shorty tried to take credit for the claim, and renamed the town Harrisburg. But when the mine's output decreased, Shorty left. Pete remained, and worked the mine for some 40 years.
During the mine's heyday, some 300 people lived in "Harrisberry", most in a tent city that sprang up across the road from Pete Aguereberry's house. All those tents are long gone, but Pete's home and a few other shacks still stand.
The dry desert air has kept much of the camp in fairly good condition – so much so you can still see the signs that Pete Aguereberry had all the modern conveniences, including electricity and indoor plumbing. Wander around and you find a couple of old refrigerators, light sockets, and even his toilet and shower.
View from up high - the camp:
Not a bad view
A very primitive shower
Circle around the hill from the Aguereberry Mining Camp, and you'll find the old Cashier Mill, and the mineshafts leading down into the Eureka Mine.
The Mill
And the mine (several openings here). Kicked myself for not having a torch:
On a table inside one of the mine openings:
The mine in its prime:
Plus – just up the road – presumably dumped at a later date is a fine American motor.
Can't wait to go back... So many mines and ghostowns, so little time!
