The remains of tramway structure at the Union Mine. Shootings and violence were were commonplace, often fueled by alcohol from the many saloons or jealous rivalries at the local brothels. Belshaw’s first challenge was linking Cerro Gordo, situated high on Buena Vista Peak at an elevation of 8,500 feet, with Owens Valley far below. Your access to Cerro Gordo Mines, Cerro Gordo Ghost Town site and surrounding areas, whether participating in an organized or unorganized event or just exploring, whether authorized or unauthorized, constitutes your agreement to all of the terms and conditions of our Waiver of Liability and Hold Harmless Agreement. Adding to your cart. Our goal is to continually upgrade amenities and keep the town intact to be enjoyed and explored as a true historical site in California. On the shore of Owens Lake, the town of Keeler was laid out and a mill was constructed to process some of the lower grade ores. Silver was roasted and formed into bullion, sent down the Yellow Grade road by mule team, then shipped across Owen’s Lake by steamboat. The Cerro Gordo Mine isn’t a single mine, rather it is a collection of abandoned mines near Lone Pine. The cost of ... Swansea-Cerro Gordo Road on the crest of the Inyo Mountains after sunset (8:00 p.m.). Several attempts were made at restarting the Union mine in the 1890s, but depressed silver prices during this decade thwarted the efforts every time. For further information about rates, group discounts or private events, please call us at 760.689.2443. By 1871 the town of Cerro Gordo was booming. Season: All year, depending on weather and road conditions. Depending on the time of year, we suggest bringing a jacket and warm clothing. What if I find something valuable? In the early 1870’s, two smelters were erected at Cerro Gordo and one on Owens Lake near the rival town of Swansea. Do not leave pets unattended or in vehicles; heat kills quickly, and pets are especially vulnerable to predators if left alone. In 1908, an aerial tramway was built between Cerro Gordo and the smelters at Keeler, improving the volume and efficiency of transporting ore. By the 1910s attention had turned to Cerro Gordo’s zinc ores. var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; Cerro Gordo Road is just short of 8 miles long and fairly steep in places. Belshaw immediately acquired a third interest in the Union Mine, the districts top producer, and mined enough silver to take a wagon of bullion to San Francisco as a gesture to impress potential financial backers. He supervised the construction of the first wagon road to the town in July of 1868. However, the revival was not destined to last, as by late 1876 and early 1877 the Union Mine appeared to be played out. The Cerro Gordo Mines are a collection of abandoned mines located in the Inyo Mountains, in Inyo County, near Lone Pine, California. Tours are available by reservation and can be guided or self-guided. The financiers were impressed, and Belshaw left San Francisco as a third owner of the newly formed Union Mining Company, with enough capital to begin construction of a smelter to process the Cerro Gordo ores. Cerro Gordo was once again an active mining town. Condition:--not specified. Situated near the summit of Buena Vista Peak at an elevation of 8,500 feet, the isolated mining outpost became known as Cerro Gordo, meaning “fat hill”, the meaning, of course, that it was fat with silver. In 1906 there was again interest in reviving the Cerro Gordo mines. Gallery: View 25 Cerro Gordo, California Photos, Current Population: A few part-time residents. Some say he was murdered in the mine. You’ll see and visit the many buildings still standing in Cerro Gordo. Four Metals Company Smelter & Tramway. The tractor cut the ore hauling time in half, but still could not keep the smelter in enough ore to be profitable. CERRO GORDO. Please add your email address and specify your topics of interest. Cerro Gordo Grade Tramway, Inyo Mountains, California. The control operator’s house has been restored, and is a pleasant spot for modern backcountry travelers to pause for a picnic and ponder over the construction of the great salt tramway in the early 1900’s. While modern materials will help us minimize this in the future, we are here now, and we still have a lot to be thankful for. What is the road like coming from Keeler? var gcse = document.createElement('script'); In 1915 a new tramway was built to ship zinc ore to Keeler. The town was the silver thread to Los Angeles, being partially responsible for its growth and economic development. From Mapcarta, the free map. By 1875, Cerro Gordo’s water supplies had ran out and water had to be hauled in continuously by pack train. In 1868 another businessman named Mortimer Belshaw arrived in Cerro Gordo and after establishing a partnership with another stakeholder in the Union Mine, he brought the first wagon load of silver from Cerro Gordo to Los Angeles. Cerro Gordo, California 2 commodity had to be hauled up the grade from artesian wells in the valley. The buildings, surroundings and vistas are spectacular, so the town is perfect for photography clubs and workshops. s.parentNode.insertBefore(gcse, s); At the time the smelters were the best there were. Document Archive | })(); Copyright © 2021 | The Cerro Gordo Mines are a collection of abandoned mines located in the Inyo Mountains, in Inyo County, near Lone Pine, California. Can I stay overnight or camp? Between the new interest in zinc, and new discoveries of high-grade silver ore, the mines of Cerro Gordo were finally beginning to operate profitably after decades of ill-fated attempts at restarting them. Details about c.1914 Owens Lake Cerro Gordo Mines Inyo Mountains SP Railroad Tramway Road Map. In 1866 Beaudry opened Cerro Gordo’s first store. A smelter was built at Keeler and a steam tractor was used to haul ore down the mountain. Cerro Gordo is a privately owned Mining Town located in the Owens Valley near Lone Pine, California. He worked as a woodcutter at a nearby lumber camp during the late 1800s. It consists of a number of wooden buildings, the most imposing of which is the two-story American Hotel, once the center of town. In 1872 the steamboat “Molly Stevens” was put into service to transport goods from Swansea on the northern end of Owens Lake, to Cartago on the southern end, removing over 40 miles of difficult road from the wagon route to Los Angeles. .. A reported $500 million of minerals were blasted out of the mountain, but any miner worth his axe knows you never report the full value. Item Information. Are pets allowed? Can I dig rocks or hunt for artifacts? How’s the weather? I was met by the resident caretaker who unlocked the buildings and led me on the tour. Cerro Gordo is situated north of Montalviche. Our interest in the Cerro Gordo had been aroused during a previous trip into that region when we saw at Keeler the lower terminus of' the old tramway which once brought the rich ore from the mine down the side of the mountain. There are the prostitutes in the cribs, the starving Indians whose pinion crops were destroyed for firewood, and the miners who broke their spirits on hard rock and unfulfilled dreams. Bradshaw had experience with silver mining in Mexico, and he recognized that a smelter would transform the district into a major producer. There may be insects, wild animals or snakes, so please do not allow your pet near wild animals or their dens or burrows. In April, 1866, the mine was included in the Lone Pine Mining District organized in April, 1866. gcse.type = 'text/javascript'; I finally got up to Cerro Gordo last Saturday and took a tour of the town. A more lethal blow was dealt by falling lead and silver prices, effectively ending this era of activity at Cerro Gordo. There is no public wifi and cellphone coverage is very spotty. It was the arrival of Mortimer Belshaw in April of 1868 that would transform Cerro Gordo into the booming mining town it was destined to be. We recommend a 4WD as the safest way, but non 4WD vehicles can make the trip as well. These problems resulted from a scarcity of ore in the mine, which had lasted for several months, and the temporary drying up of its water supply. Gross production of the Cerro Gordo camp from its early profitable years up until 1938 was about $17 million. 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