N39.14171 W117.54036 - GOLD PARK QUAD

Straddling the Nye and Lander County lines, gold was discovered in 1864 and mining and milling was carried out well into the 1940's, but there were never any major activity here, despite attempts to drum up enthusiasm. Victor Kral describes the property in his 1951 report:

The Jackson District lies on the west slope of the Shoshone Mountains and borders the Lander County line. As per Thompson and West, gold ore was first discovered here in 1864 by Thomas Barnes and the district was organized as the North Union. In 1878 it was reorganized as the Jackson. In the early days the district was also known as Barnes Park after the park-like amphitheater about 2 miles wide, near the edge of which the claims were located. The Gold Park group which includes the Arctic, Star of the West, and San Francisco patents has, as per Lincoln, a reputed but unrecorded production of $500,000 to $1,000,000. Early recorded and recently known production totals $18,000. The property became involved in litigation in 1911 and very little production has been made since then.

Alvin L. Nelson of Gabbs and Walter F. Bowler of Fallon are the owners. Discovery of the property was made in 1880 by Frank Bradley 'and others who sold to the Nevada Mining Company. This company erected a stamp mill which they operated but a short time. In 1882 they recorded a production of $12,787 from 1,353 tons. In 1919 Robert S. Todd took over the property and organized the Star of the West Mining Company. He installed a 50-ton mill in 1921 which made a trial run only. In 1927 the present owners purchased the patented claims at tax sale and have made only minor shipments since then.

Improvements at the Gold Park group consist of several buildings, and car and tracks at the Arctic. The War Eagle mine, owned by Alvin L. Nelson of Gabbs, is at an elevation of 8,500 feet and lies on the south slope of the ridge separating the Gold Park basin from Willow Creek to the south. Water is obtained from small springs about three-quarters of a mile below the mine. Nelson and others worked the property intermittently during 1934-1941 and as per his records have mined 600 tons valued at about $15,500. The mineralization is principally gold and silver.

A group of claims commonly referred to as the Last Chance, owned by Steve Diemoz of Austin, lie from one-half to 1 mile southeast of the War Eagle at an elevation of about 9,000 feet. Intermittent work was done on these claims during 1933-1939. A few shipments were made and some ore treated in a small mill formerly on the property; however,. no production records are available.

The Grey Eagle group, commonly known as the old Bill Boyd property, lies just south of Willow Creek and about 2 miles southwest of the War Eagle. The present owners, R. J. and C. B. Lofthouse and Jack Mullen, relocated the property in 1945. The ore is said to contain gold and silver with some lead occurring as veins in andesite. The workings consist of one 150-foot adit and several shallow shafts and cuts. No known production has been made from the property.

-Mineral Resources of Nye County, Nevada, University of Nevada Bulletin, Vol. XLV January 1951 by Victor E. Kral

Some news articles from the Reno Evening Gazette show the attempts to "pump up" interest in the area, and document some of the activity there.

1882, June 19
The Nevada Mining Company, operating at Gold Park, Nye County, has been incorporated in New York City. Capital $1,000,000.
-Reno Evening Gazette

1882 October 18
NEVADA
Rich Mineral Strike
Austin, October 17th.-- the Nevada Mining Company, Manuel San Pedro, Superintendent, have made a big strike. There are now being taken from their mine in Gold Park, Nye County, assays as high as $11,000. The bullion from a half ounce of rock is the largest ever made from any ore of the same aroundhere. The gold goes $5,000, the the balance is silver.
-Sacramento Daily Union

1882, December 19
GOLD PARK - A Promising Camp, With Good Mines, Wood, and Water
Gold Park, Nye County, promises to be a lively camp before many months pass. It is about 20 miles east from Luning, a live station on the Carson & Colorado road, to which place a good wagon road is to be constructed at once, and a town laid out. It is quite a thriving little place already, and bids fair to be one of permanent prosperity, there being several promising mines at work and considerable prospecting going on in the vicinity. Mr. San Pedro's new bonanza, the Silver Casket, is located here, which is said to be on of the best prospects discovered for some time. There is a ten stamp mill in operation, but it is probable that smelting will be mostly relied upon. The Park has the advantage of being well-wooded and watered, and is one of the most beautiful spots in Nevada.
-Reno Evening Gazette

1905 August 10
RENO CAPITAL IN GOLD PARK - Tetrault and Lebeau Preparing to Extensively Develop Property- Have Taken Over Mill and MInes and Have Rich Four-Foot Ledge
AUSTIN, Nev., August 19-- Alexis Tetrault, of Reno, and Henry Lebeau, who recently purchased the Gold Park mil and mines, are carrying on extensive improvements and development work on the their property. Gold Park is located forty miles southwest of Austin and has produced many thousands of dollars and under the management of the new owners will soon rank with the best, as both are experienced mill men and miners.
-Reno Evening Gazette

1906 August 15
The old Gold Park district, which is situated in Lander County, is coming to the front once more. The original Gold Park propery has been taken up by the Washington, D.C. capitalists, after a careful sampling of the three claims and milliate, all patented, and five other claims and a townsite. On the property there is a ten stamp mill, with sufficient water to run fifty stamps. The workings on patented claims, consisting of tunnels, winzes, upraises and drifts, aggregate over 3,000 feet giving at the most a depth of 250 feet, from which a profit of more than $300,000 was taken in the early days. The mines were closed down on account of bad management.
-Salt Lake Mining Review

1907 September 21
GOLD PARK
J.M. Noonan, a capitalist from Boston, and H.W. Hamon of Pittsburgh, Pa., paid a visit to Gold Park this week and made a thorough examination of the district, principally of teh groupd of claims under bond to Fred Pitney. Mr. Noonan, who is anxious to invest in Nevada mining properties, was so pleased with the Gold Park section that he will return again inthe near future. On the Sunday claim, belonging to the Peterson Bros., at Gold Park, Frank and Milas Peterson are still taking out free gold and will soon have another lot of loose gold to be melted into a bar. The last lot of gold brought to town by these boys was melted into a bar by our local assayer, J.H. Trolson, and was worth $3400. This gold was taken out in six weeks work and aside from the nuggers a hand mortar and a gold pan were used. The Peterson strike is creating great excitement throughout this county. One panful of dirt last Tuesday contained over $60 in gold. These figures seem large, but it is the truth neverthless. Gold Park is an old camp, but it is just beginning to receive proper recognition.
-Reese River Reveille

1908 August 15
Gold Park Becoming a Leading Gold Camp- S.M. Dodd, foreman for the Gold Park Mining company, was in town the first of the week. He reports mining conditions at Gold Park as flourishing and that during the next year the camp will attract more attention than ever before. The water problem at Gold Park is one that has not been entirely solved yet. This company however has good prospects of developing enough water in the mine to run the milling plant. At the 800 foot point in the tunnel an upraise is now being driven to connect with a winze from the second level. When the connection is made, it is believed a steady flow of water will be secured.
-Reno Evening Gazette

1919 October 30
Star of the West
At Gold Park the Star of the West mining company has a force of men at work cleaning out tunnels and old works. Two
new ore bodies have been exposed one in the face of the middle tunnel on the Star of the West claim, at least six feet wide and assaying from to $8.23 to $15.57 per ton. The other on the Arctic claim, is about eight feet wide assaying $20.08 per ton. Arrangements have been made with the forest reserve supervisor for supplying the company with mining timber and fuel.
-Salt Lake Mining Review

1929 October 18
Gold Park Mine Is Taken Over By Eccles Interests- The gold Park Mine has been taken over by the Eccles interests of Utah, according to advices received by J.D. Leonard. The property is located thirty miles southwest of Austin and not far from the Lincoln Highway, and is regarded as a potentially great gold mine. The ground was partially developed a few years ago by the late R.B. Todd, who built a milling plant but later there were financial difficulties resulting in a receiver being appointed. Some work was done last year by Peter Buol. A compressor has been ordered and other necessary machinery will be installed by A.M. Johnson, who has been appointed to the management.
-Reno Evening Gazette

Gotta give 'em credit, though- they just keep on digging and scratching hoping to find The Big One....

1930 September 23
ANOTHER LEDGE AT GOLD PARK
A new discovery is reported in the Gold Park mine, between Eastgate and Austin, Nelson and his partner having exposed a wide vein of ore of good grade on the surface.
-Reno Evening Gazette

1932 May 3
GOLD PARK MINERS GETTING GOOD RESULTS
Through all the stormy weather of the winter just past, A.L. Nelson and his nephew Horace Connolly have been working steadily on the Aztec Group in the camp of Gold Park, where Nelson discovered a new vein last year. Nelson is one of the old-time miners who has a nose for ore, and is also well acquainted with that section, as well as with properties in adjacent camps, and he said in his letter that he was convinced that he was camping right on the trail of a big mine.
-Reno Evening Gazette

1941 December 31
GOLD PARK ACTIVE
the miners of Gold park, between Carrol summit and Eureka have had a good year and a number of shipments have been made. Al Nelson is one of the principal mine owners in the camp.
-Reno Evening Gazette

GOLD PARK HAS PROSPECTS FOR STABLE OUTPUT- District Pioneer Is Planning To Ship In Spring
Alvin N. Nelson and Mrs. Nelson, residents of Gabbs, have put in most of the summer and fall months developing property they own in the Gold Park district, some 25 miles north of Ione by road and on the border of Nye and Lander counties. At the time the government closed the gold and silver mines the partners were mining and shipping good ore, but as it was impossible to get either gas or tires, they were forced to close down.
-Reno Evening Gazette, November 22, 1947

There's not much left in Gold Park except for the remains of the mill near the Star of the West Mine, whose remains are impressive. There is a crazy crow that lives at the mill who does not like anyone visiting without calling first, and even then he'd rather be left alone. There are a few collapsed buildings between there and the town site, and closer to the town site, there are the remains of a few rock alignments or walls. There is much scattered debris but nothing to really indicate there was a mining cap here. The Star of the West mine appears to be one of the most if not the most worked mines here, as the tailings were prominent. But there are several other mines and cabins worth looking at on the way up to Gold Park. Did not spot the site of the original mill, which is supposed to be north of town. Saw what appeared to be some tailings on the west side of the beginning of the canyon that might be the spot. The complex at the Sunday mine is particularly impressive with several cabins in various states. Recommend 4WD or a high clearance vehicle as the road can be rocky in places. Lots of well-marked Forest Service roads with sign posts, if you are lucky enough to have a Forest Service road map.