� VISIT EMPIRE MINE STATE HISTORIC PARK
PIONEERS
H I S T O R Y
SuperStitionS , MuleS And Gold
Bourne Cottage
MITCH LORENS cc
tHEIRS WAS A DANGEROUS OCCUPATION , so it is not surprising local hardrock gold miners had their superstitions . One was the ghostlike Tommy Knocker with a long nose and tall black hat . It was believed that when he was heard knocking in the mine , something was going to happen , probably bad , so you best be careful . The miners also thought a woman in a mine was bad luck , as was whistling .
Cornwall , England supplied most of the labor for area mines , including the mighty Empire , now a State Historic Park . These miners gained their experience in the tin and cooper mines of Cornwall . They not only brought their expertise , but inventions like the Cornish Pump used to remove water from underground tunnels .
The Empire Mine traces its history back to 1850 when George Roberts discovered flecks of gold in an outcropping of quartz located in what is now the mine ’ s main parking area .
His discovery brought hundreds to the area to stake claims , but the skills needed to build deep tunnels were lacking . Roberts , like many others , became discouraged and sold his claim to a group that consolidated a number of small claims under the name Empire Mine .
During the next 100 years or so , the Empire would become one of the oldest , largest and richest gold mines in California . An estimated 5,800,000 troy ounces of gold were extracted from 367 miles of underground passages . The mine produced over 8 billion dollars in gold by today ’ s standards .
At one time 80 stamp mills worked 24 hours a day to pulverize the ore so gold could be extracted . They could easily be heard in Grass Valley and even at times in Nevada City . Residents became so accustomed to the noise , they only noticed if it stopped .
In 1871 , capitalist William Bourne gained controlling interest in the Empire , and it prospered , only to decline after his death . His son William Jr ., took over in 1879 when he turned 22 and by 1884 profits rolled in . Success was due in great part to George Starr , a relative who began working at the mine when he was 19 . Although he had little formal education , he became one of the great mining engineers of his day .
Over the years , the Empire Mine was known as one of the most efficient and progressive mines in the United States . One improvement was the use of mules to haul ore and waste to the main shaft for transport to the surface . At one time , 44 mules lived in a barn underground . One of the most famous was Fanny . It is said she was fond of chewing tobacco and that she knew if there was an extra car to pull , refusing to move until it was removed .
Bourne Jr . sold the mine in 1929 to the Newmont Mining Corporation . It continued to prosper until World War II , when it was closed down by the War Production Board . The Empire reopened in 1945 , but the fixed price of gold , high cost of extracting it and labor problems led to permanent closure in 1956 .
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