Gold mining in Virginia

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Most gold mining in Virginia was concentrated in the Virginia Gold-Pyrite belt in a line that runs northeast to southwest through the counties of Fairfax, Prince William, Stafford, Fauquier, Culpeper, Spotsylvania, Orange, Louisa, Fluvanna, Goochland, Cumberland, and Buckingham. Some gold was also mined in Halifax, Floyd, and Patrick counties.

Contents

[edit] History of Virginia gold mining

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The earliest recording of gold mining activity in Virginia began about 1804 as placer mining, followed quickly by lode mining. Mining continued unabated until the onset of the California Gold Rush, at which point most serious speculators moved west. Production continued at a low level until the Civil War, when it virtually ground to a halt.

Near the end of the war, Union troops began a systematic campaign to destroy the economic base of the South. Many gold mines were subsequently damaged beyond repair. Most were, by this time, marginal producers, their ores of such low concentrate as to stretch the limits of the mercury amalgam recovery technology of the day. Many of these mines never reopened.

Other mines did, however, and gold production in Virginia continued until World War II, when, on October 8, 1942, the War Production Board issued Limitation Order L-208, which branded gold production as a non-essential and directed all but the smallest of gold mines to shut down so their labor force could be used elsewhere to support the war effort.

Economic conditions following the war were such that few miners returned to mining, so only a handful of mines reopened. For all practical purposes, commercial gold production in Virginia ceased after 1948.

At its peak, Virginia was the third largest gold producing state, and the heart of the gold production area was at the junction of Spotsylvania, Culpeper, and Orange counties near Wilderness.

[edit] Modern era

More than 300 prospects and mines are known to have existed in Virginia, yet very few, if any at all, are commercially active at this time. Amateur and hobby prospecting continues to this day, primarily consisting of individual or small scale placer operations. Many hobbyists simply use a gold pan or a small, gasoline powered sluice box.

[edit] Museums and displays about gold mining

  • Lake Anna State Park contains the remnants of the Goodwin mine and some historical displays. Gold panning is permitted on the park grounds.
  • Monroe Park in Goldvein has a museum about gold mining operations in the area, with some reconstructed buildings and historical artifacts.

[edit] List of gold mines, claims, and prospects

Since most commercial gold activity ceased in the late 1940's, records are scant. This list is not complete.

[edit] Mines near Columbia, along the Goochland/Fluvanna County line

  • Young American mine
  • Belzoro mine
  • Collins mine, the first gold mine in Goochland county, located on Little Byrd Creek
  • Morgan mine
  • Grannison mine
  • Bertha and Edith mine
  • Moss mine
  • Busby mine
  • Waller mine, the source of the richest ore to be taken from the Appalachian mountains
  • Fleming mine

Bowles Mine

  • Tellurium mine, where it is believed that the first stamp mill in the U.S. operated
  • Page mine (Believe this should be the "Long Island Mine", named after the Long Island Creek in Fluvanna where it was located. It was established by George Pace in the 1830's, and thus is also commonly called "the Pace Mine".)

[edit] Mines near Dillwyn in Buckingham County

  • London and Virginia mine
  • Buckingham mine
  • Bondurant mine, near Andersonville
  • Burnett mine
  • Morrow mine

[edit] Mines in Spotsylvania County

  • Whitehall mine, the first lode mine in Virginia, located 1.5 miles northwest of Shady Grove Corner in the western portion of the county
  • Goodwin mine, near what is now Lake Anna. Recreational gold mining is allowed on or near the grounds of the former mine at Lake Anna State Park.
  • Marshall mine, on the Rapphannock River

(over twenty mines are known to have existed in Spotsylvania - info search underway)

[edit] Mines in Orange County

  • Ambler (Amler) mine, located along SR-20 in the Wilderness National Military Park
  • Grasty Tract (Dickey; Chicago-Virginia) mine, located 1 mile east of Verdlersville along Soapstone Branch
  • H. Gordon's prospect, nearly co-located with the Orange Grove mine
  • Indian Town prospect, located in Indian Town along the Rapidan River
  • Jones prospect, located 1 mile SE of Indian Town along Russell Run
  • Orange Grove mine, located west of Germanna Hwy (SR3) on Flat Run. One of its shafts had to be plugged to complete construction of the Lake of the Woods dam.
  • Vaucluse mine, located east of Germanna Hwy (SR3) near Flat Run. It was purchased by Henry Ford so the equipment could be relocated to his museum in Dearborn. The property was resold in 1934.
  • Partridge (Woodville) mine, located just northeast of the Vaucluse mine.
  • Melville (Rapidan) mine, located just northwest of the Vaucluse mine.

[edit] Mines near Goldvein in Fauquier County

  • Franklin mine, (sometimes known as Deep Run Mine) the first mine in the county, opened in 1825. It was located 2.3 miles northeast of Morrisville on a 594 acre (2.4 km²) tract of land along a dirt road off Rout 634, about 1.6 miles east of its junction with Route 806.
  • Liberty mine, located about 1.5 miles NW of Goldvein, just west of US-17
  • Bancroft (Bancroff) mine, located about 2 miles SW of Morrisville
  • Cool Spring (Stringfellow) prospect, nearly co-located with Liberty mine
  • Embrey (Embry) mine, located .4 miles NW of Morrisville, just south of US-17
  • Emigold mine, located just NW of Monroe Park in Goldvein
  • Gamewood prospect, located equidistant between Kelly's Ford and Sumerduck
  • Johnston (Johnson) prospect, located 1 mile south of Monroe Park in Goldvein
  • Kelley (Kelly) mine, nearly co-located with the Gamewood prospect
  • Kidwell mine, located about 1 mile south of the Gamewood/Kelly mines
  • Liepold (Stone; Leopold) mine, located about 1 mile south of Morrisville
  • Little Elliot mine, nearly co-located with Liberty mine
  • Pine View prospect, located about .4 mile NW of the Liberty/Little Elliot mines
  • Pollard prospect (mine), located about .5 mile NW of Summerduck
  • Randolph (Sugar) mine, located 2 miles NW of Goldvein, just east of US-17 on Rock Run
  • Union mine, located about 1.5 miles west of Goldvein
  • Waterman mine, located 1 mile east of Morrisville
  • Wykoff (Wycoff; Wyckoff; Quartz) mine, located about 1.5 miles south of Morrisville just east of US-17

[edit] Mines near Hartwood on US-17 in Stafford County

  • Eagle (Morgan and Rappahannock; Smith) mine, located about 1 mile SW of Holly Corner
  • Elliot Farm mine, located about 3 miles SW of Hartwood near the junction of Culpeper, Spotsylvania and Stafford counties
  • Rappahannock mines, said to be located 10 miles from Falmouth in an unknown direction
  • Horse Pen (Hospen; Horse Pin; Rattlesnake) mine, located about .8 miles east of the Elliot Farm mine
  • Lee prospect, located about .4 miles NW of Holly Corner
  • New Hope (Newhope) mine, a placer mine located about .4 miles south of US-17 at Hartwood
  • MacDonald prospect, nearly co-located with the Lee prospect
  • Pris-King mine, nearly co-located with the Horse Pen mine
  • Prospect A Stafford Company, nearly co-located with the Elliot Farm mine
  • Wise Farm mine, located 1.5 miles SW of Holly Corner
  • Monroe mine (location unknown)

[edit] Mines in Louisa County

  • Allah Cooper (Alley-Cooper; Ali Cooper; Valcooper) mine, located about 1 mile SE of Wares Crossroads
  • Armenious mine, located somewhere near Mineral, location uncertain
  • Tinder's (Tinder's Flat) mine, location uncertain
  • Walton's mine, location uncertain
  • Belden prospect, located 1 mile east of Mineral on Freshwater Creek
  • Bibb prospect, located .5 miles east of Mineral
  • Boxley's mine, now submerged in the waters of Lake Anna
  • Chick mine, located just north of the Bibb prospect
  • Cooper mine, located 1.5 miles north of Mineral
  • Harris mine, nearly co-located with the Chick mine
  • Hemmer mine, located about .5 miles north of Mineral
  • Hunter prospect, located about .2 miles NW of Mineral south of SR-22
  • Jenkins mine, located on Contrary Creek just east of US-522
  • Josh mine, located about 1 mile SW of Yanceyville
  • Lett mine, located about .2 miles NE of the Hemmer mine
  • Louisa mine, located 1 mile south of Mineral
  • Luce (Capt. Luce's) mine, located on the west side of US-522 about .7 miles south of Mineral
  • MacDonald mine, located on Northeast creek about 1.2 miles SW of Mineral
  • Morriston mine, located about 1.5 NE of Mineral east of SR-208
  • New Luce prospect, located about 1 mile SE of Mineral just east of the railroad tracks
  • Proffit mine, located south of Mineral on the north side of the intersection of US-33 and Willis-Profitt Road
  • Ricswan mine, located about .25 miles NE of the Profitt mine
  • Slate Hill mine
  • Stockton mine
  • Thomasson's mine
  • Triple Fork prospect
  • Twin Vein mine
  • Walnut Grove mine
  • Warren Hill mine
  • Dolan mine

[edit] Other mines, claims, and prospects

  • Hughes mine, located about two miles northeast of Fork Union Station in Fluvanna County
  • Lightfoot mine, about two miles north of Arvonia in Buckingham County
  • Greenwood mine, near Independent Hill in Prince William County
  • Crawford placer prospect, in Dale City on Neabsco Creek about 500 yards west of I-95
  • Red Bank mine, located four and one-half miles northeast of Virgilina in Halifax County

[edit] References