35 JANUARY 2023 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Mining Heritage in U.S. National Parks Adapted from Information by the U.S. National Park Service There are approximately 38,000 Abandoned Mineral Lands (AML) features in national parks across the U.S. Many of these include old mines, along with their related infrastructure; buildings and foundations; and equipment and tools. These historic mining sites have direct heritage associated with their past or present geologic resources. They reveal a wealth of knowledge about economic forces which lured Europeans and others to North America. Many national parks promote their rich mining legacies by taking an active role in preserving and reconstructing structures and landscapes of days gone by. The following are some examples of national parks dedicated to conserving and sharing mining traditions and culture. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Alaska - Headlines screamed “Gold!” The dream of a better life catapulted thousands of people to Alaska and the Yukon Territory. Their journey shaped them and changed the people they encountered and the North forever. Today, the park remembers the trails, boomtowns, and stories of the Klondike Gold Rush. Yukon-Charley Rivers National Park, Alaska - Aspiring miners came here in the 1898 Gold Rush, leaving behind ghost towns and dreams. Visitors can float along the river and catch glimpses of the region’s mining past. Keweenaw National Historic Park, Michigan - From 7000 years ago to the 1900s, people mined Keweenaw copper. Native peoples made copper into tools and trade items. Investors and immigrants arrived in the 1800s in a great mineral rush, developing thriving industries and cosmopolitan communities. Though the mines have closed, their mark is still visible on the land and people. Big Bend National Park, Texas - The Mariscal Mine once bustled as the center of the Big Bend quicksilver mining economy. From 1900 to 1943, nearly a quarter of the mercury produced in the U.S. came from this mine. Its remains are a vivid reminder of the cycle of human activities and nature’s reclamation. Big South Fork National River and National Recreation Area, Tennessee and Kentucky - Blue Heron, also known as Mine 18, is located here. It is an abandoned coal mining town which was part of the Stearns Coal and Lumber Company’s past operation. Blue Heron mines operated from 1937 until December 1962. Hundreds of people lived and worked in this isolated community on the banks of the Big South Fork River. The town has been recreated to match the old site as closely as possible. Each building contains an audio program where people who actually lived and worked in Blue Heron share their memories with visitors. Death Valley National Park, California, Nevada - Since the 1848 discovery of gold in California, Death Valley has experienced over 140 years of boom and bust mining. One of the earliest successful mining operations was Harmony Borax Works, active from 1883 to 1888. This operation was famous, not for its ore deposits, but for the 20-mule-team wagons used to transport partially refined borax. Although the teams only ran for six years, they made a lasting impression on the Old West, primarily due to a successful advertising campaign promoting 20 Mule Team™ Borax Soap. Lake Mead National Recreation Area (NRA), Arizona & Nevada - Many areas within this park have been inventoried for cultural resources and documented as historic and archaeological sites. To date, at least 958AML features have been recorded within Lake Mead NRA. The majority of these abandoned mine features are related to hard rock mining operations. The Homestake Mine is located here and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Mining began at the Homestead Mine in the 1860s and was active until the 1930s. The site was listed on the Register in 1985 for its relationship to mining history in the area and its ability to provide a wide range of information about mining operations of the past. All of the mining heritage features described above are important cultural resources supporting visitor education and enjoyment. Some national parks were established, in part, to preserve and commemorate America’s mining and mineral history. These sites stand in silent testimony to those who lived and worked there. Between 1911 and 1938, the Kennecott Copper Mine produced more than $200 million worth of copper and supported a community of hundreds of people. The site is now a prominent feature in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve in Alaska. MIN
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