EISPIRATEN

Stumbled across this mine while hiking in the South Fork L. Creek. Appears it may have had a gate at one time, but long since removed, at least from the outside. Trail appears fairly well-used.



Came across a gold prospector, using a homemade metal detector (PVC pipe + detector probe + amplifier wrapped around arm) nearby, before I saw the mine.

Anyone have any information on this mine? Old gold mine, or something else? Didn't see it on Hugh Blanchard's website or elsewhere. It appears to be pretty large, with two tunnels at the main entrance.

I know nothing!

https://youtu.be/UmzsWxPLIOo

Neither do I...nice find!

Gold was discovered in Lytle Creek in 1864. For awhile there was a huge gold rush in that area with over 100 prospectors, mostly along the north fork. Texas Point was the first area in the Southern California that ever used hydraulic mining, which was very destructive, but it worked.

Some of the claims were discovered by a guy named Abbott, who shot a man named Keir to death when he tried to jump one of his claims. Abbott was brought to stand trial for murder in San Bernardino but the outcome of the trial is unknown.

Most of the mines had no names, but it was an extremely successful gold mining area. One black guy named George Washington "LOL" had a shack with bottles stacked up against the wall full of gold dust. But apparently nobody ever ripped him off and he got rich.

If you want to read more about that area here's a link ...
http://crazyforgold007.com/page136.html