JOSEPHINE COUNTY OREGON

Josephine County lies in southwestern Oregon, bordering the Klamath Mountain region in California. Elevation of the area ranges from 150 to 7,055 feet above sea level, and annual precipitation varies from 30 to 70 inches, depending on elevation and exposure. Most precipitation falls in the winter months in the form of rain or snow, and much of the placer mining is done between February and September when streams are flowing. Higher elevations are in Siskiyou National Forest, with some streams being set aside as Wild and Scenic Rivers.

Grants Pass (pop. 18,000) is on Interstate Highway 5 and is the only town of any consequence in the county. State and county roads serve part of the county, but ranchers and loggers gate many of the other roads. The Siskiyou Mountains are rugged and forested, with steep walled canyons. Many of the streams around Grants Pass have produced placer gold, but the area did not really get into production until lode deposits were discovered shortly before the turn of the century. Estimated total production has been set at about 22,000 ounces and the district is largely idle today.

The area around the town of Galice includes many mining districts, both lode and placer. Placer operations have been predominant and this is the site of one of the state's largest hydraulic operations. The total minimum production has been estimated at nearly 270,000 ounces. The Greenback area includes placers on many of the streams in northeast Josephine County and a few scattered lode mines. The placers outstripped the lodes about ten to one. In recent years some small-scale placer activity has been reported but no estimates of the production given. Total output is around 55,000 ounces.

The Illinois River area which includes portions of Josephine Creek and the Illinois River downstream from where the two meet, has not been extensively worked but Oregon officials estimate that at least 10,000 ounces of placer gold have been recovered. The amount of, lode gold from the area is probably less than 1,000 ounces.

The Applegate District is a minor placer area by any standards this area is interesting in that most of its production has come from small-scale operations that continued today. It is in the southeastern section of Josephine County, includes the Applegate River and some of its tributaries. The most important of these were Oscar, Slate and Williams Creeks. Total production is unknown but it is estimated that the area must have produced around 12,000 ounces.

The Waldo District is just west of Oregon Caves National Monument in southern Josephine County. Placers were discovered here in 1853, but were not worked for several years due to a lack of water. By 1900 all but low-grade values had been mined and the district was mined by hydraulicing. Some lode gold has been produced and some gold was reported as a byproduct from copper mines in the general area. Total production is estimated at about 215,000 ounces.

History and Production

Placer gold was discovered along the Illinois River at the mouth of Josephine Creek in 1850, and by 1911, most of the principal placer deposits in the county had been found and were being worked. Hydraulic methods were introduced as early as 1856 and proved to be very effective wherever the gravels were not cemented. Around the turn of the century, bucketline dredges and dragline excavators were introduced and proved to be effective along certain waterways. A number of small mining camps sprung up, some of which, like Waldo, can no longer be found.

Josephine County is credited with 1,250,000 ounces of lode and placer gold production, but actual production figures are much higher. Much of the placer gold production has not been recorded. Some mining activity by small companies and individuals continues to this day.

Lode Gold

The geology of Southwestern Oregon is complex and not fully understood, being closely associated with plate tectonics and crustal subduction. Numerous gold-quartz veins can be found in greenstone of Triassic age, which trends in belts from the southwest to the northeast parts of Josephine County. Black slate, peridotite, and serpentine of Jurassic age sometimes contain gold-quartz veins and tend to parallel the greenstone belts. Granite, diorite, and gabbro intrusive bodies of Jurassic and Cretaceous age can be found in many parts of the county, but are generally devoid of mineralization except where they are in contact with older rocks. Josephine County is noted for past chromium, copper, and nickel production as well as gold, and exploratory work for nickel continue to this day.

The most productive lode gold mine was the Greenback (see map), which produced some 175,000 ounces of gold from a persistent quartz vein in greenstone. It was sunk to an inclined depth of 1,000 feet on 12 levels. The Benton Mine was developed in gold-quartz veins in greenstone near the contact with intrusive diorite, and produced 18,500 ounces of gold. The nearby Gold Bug Mine produced 37,500 ounces. Numerous other lode mines produced between 1,000 and 13,000 ounces of gold, primarily in the period between 1893 and 1942.

Pocket Gold

Josephine County is noted for rich pockets of gold in close to the surface zones of supergene enrichment. Some of these pockets were fabulously rich though they were quickly mined out. The best known pocket digging was the Briggs Mine near the California line (see map), where masses of gold totaling 2,000 ounces were taken out in 1904. Slabs of gold up to 3 feet in length were reportedly recovered.

Nuggets

A number of nuggets the size of chicken eggs have been found in placer gravels and pocket deposits. The largest recorded nugget was found in 1859 on the East Fork of Althouse Creek below the Briggs Pocket. It weighed 17 pounds. Another nugget weighing 15 pounds was found in gravels near the Esterly hydraulic cut in the early 1860s. Despite the abundance of nuggets in Josephine County, most gold recovered in placer mining operations is fine flakes.

Placer Gold

Placer gold was discovered in 1850 and simple hand mining methods commenced in 1852. Before long, hydraulic methods were introduced and a number of deep cuts were made, some of which are shown with an "X" on the accompanying map. Placer gold can be found in stream channels, in bench gravels, and in terrace gravels up to 600 feet above the present stream levels. Old channels can be found in the terrace gravels, some of which are rich. Gold is generally found at or near fractured or decomposed bedrock. Some of the bench and terrace gravels are cemented. Boulders are common in many stream gravels, and most gravels range from a few feet to over 50 feet in thickness.

Power shovels, dredges, and dragline excavators were introduced around the turn of the century and were used up to 1952 along a number of streamcourses. Since 1960, individuals with portable suction dredges have found considerable gold in the streamcourses of Josephine County and in Jackson County to the east. Most placer work is done between February and September when streamcourses contain sufficient water. Some of the principal placer streams are as follows, in alphabetical order: Allen Gulch: In Allen and Scotch gulches, the gravel deposits had some productive placers. At head of Allen Gulch, in Township 40S Range 8W sections 33 and 34, you will find the High Gravel Mine, extensively hydraulicked in 1917. In NW 1/4 section 36 of Township 40S Range 8W, the Queen of Bronze Mine can be found. It was primarily copper but producer of about $120,000 in by-product gold, over 7,000 ft. of underground workings.

Althouse Creek: Placer gold was discovered in Althouse Creek and the East Fork of Althouse Creek in 1852, and before long, 10 miles of the creek were being worked. Power shovels and a dragline excavator were introduced in 1936 and they discovered that the Chinese had drift mined the area in the early days. The dragline could handle 6,000 cubic yards of gravel per day.

Of greater importance in the Althouse drainage area was the Briggs Pocket Mine and the presence of large hydraulic cuts in or near Allen, Fry, Sailor, Scotch, and Waldo Gulches. The Esterly (AKA. Logan, Llano de Oro) hydraulic cut was opened in 1874 and was worked, off and on, until 1945. It ultimately consumed 30 acres and produced about 30,000 ounces of gold, along with some silver, platinum, and osmiridium, from gravels, which contained up to 0.016 ounce of gold per cubic yard.

The High Gravel and Deep Gravel cuts were made in the same general area during the same time interval. The High Gravel cut produced about 5,000 ounces of gold. The Deep Gravel cut covered 65 acres and produced about 14,000 ounces of gold from gravels that averaged 0.0125 ounce per cubic yard. Considerable placer gold remains to be mined in the district. Near Holland, South 1/2 miles along Althouse Creek, in stream gravel deposits, and benches you can find gold colors, nuggets. In the area along Althouse and Sucker creeks there were extensive early placers, including the Llano de Oro (Esterly), Deep Gravel, Placerica, and Leonard placers, all very rich, worked by thousands of miners in the 1850-60s. Applegate River: The Applegate River rises in Jackson County and empties into the Rogue River west of Grants Pass. Most of the placer gold is found in tributaries such as Board Shanty, Caris, Miller, Grays, Oscar, Slate, and Williams Creeks. Williams Creek, and its tributaries, Bamboo and Whisky Gulches, were extensively worked. The Layton Hydraulic Pit south of Provolt was an important producer. Oscar Creek was worked with a power shovel in 1933 and was noted for large nuggets. Caris, Miller, Rocky, and Slagle Creeks converge to form a rich placer area at Missouri Flat near the Jackson County line. Total placer gold production along the Applegate River was well over 20,000 ounces.

Bamboo Gulch: Bamboo and Whisky Gulches, were extensively worked.

Board Shanty Creek: The Applegate River rises in Jackson County and empties into the Rogue River west of Grants Pass. Most of the placer gold is found in tributaries such as Board Shanty, Caris, Miller, Grays, Oscar, Slate, and Williams Creeks.

Brass Nail Gulch: On upper Jumpoff Joe Creek, just below Brass Nail Gulch, the Cook and Howland placers are to be found. They were active in 1930s.

Briggs Creek: is not to be confused with the Briggs pocket mine, as they are not even close to one another. Briggs creek is located in western side of county between Latitude 42'13' and 42'29' North, longitude 123'38' and 124'05' West, the Illinois district had a total production, 1852-1953, between 5,000 and 10,000 ounces of placer gold. On upper Briggs Creek Valley, in section 7, of township 36S and range 8W, you will find the Barr Mine. This was a rich placer operation. Along lower Briggs Creek, in area of Red Dog and Soldier Creeks, there are some very rich placers. On the Northwest side of Briggs Creek, in section 24, of township 36S and range 9W, you will find the Elkhorn placers, which were very productive. Placer gold was discovered in Briggs Creek and its tributaries in 1868, and over 5,000 ounces of gold were recovered from the drainage area. This included Onion, Red Dog, Secret, Soldier, and Swede Creeks, as well as Briggs Creek itself. The upper part of Briggs Creek, below the Barr lode mine, was especially rich.

Bummer Gulch: Near head of Jumpoff Joe Creek, in Bummer Gulch, the Sexton placers can be found, they were productive.

Canyon Creek: Was a tributary of Josephine Creek, among most important and productive placer localities in the county.

Coyote Creek: Along Grave Creek and tributary Coyote and Wolf Creeks, you will find extensive placers, especially dredge tailings on South side of Grave Creek upstream from Leland. This was the largest operation in county history.

East Fork of Althouse Creek: Placer gold was discovered in Althouse Creek and the East Fork of Althouse Creek in 1852, and before long, 10 miles of the creek were being worked. Power shovels and a dragline excavator were introduced in 1936 and they discovered that the Chinese had drift mined the area in the early days. The dragline could handle 6,000 cubic yards of gravel per day.

Of greater importance in the Althouse drainage area was the Briggs Pocket Mine and the presence of large hydraulic cuts in or near Allen, Fry, Sailor, Scotch, and Waldo Gulches. The Esterly (AKA. Logan, Llano de Oro) hydraulic cut was opened in 1874 and was worked, off and on, until 1945. It ultimately consumed 30 acres and produced about 30,000 ounces of gold, along with some silver, platinum, and osmiridium, from gravels, which contained up to 0.016 ounce of gold per cubic yard.

The High Gravel and Deep Gravel cuts were made in the same general area during the same time interval. The High Gravel cut produced about 5,000 ounces of gold. The Deep Gravel cut covered 65 acres and produced about 14,000 ounces of gold from gravels that averaged 0.0125 ounce per cubic yard. Considerable placer gold remains to be mined in the district. Near Holland, South 1/2 miles along Althouse Creek, in stream gravel deposits, and benches you can find gold colors, nuggets. In the area along Althouse and Sucker creeks there were extensive early placers, including the Llano de Oro (Esterly), Deep Gravel, Placerica, and Leonard placers, all very rich, worked by thousands of miners in the 1850-60s. East Fork of the Illinois River: East fork of the Illinois River, near Takilma, had some rather extensive placer operations.

Fiddler Gulch: Is a tributary of Josephine Creek, among most important and productive placer localities in the county.

Fry Gulch: West of Waldo, in Fry Gulch, the Bailey Mine, a productive placer dragline operation.

Galice Creek: Galice Creek and its tributaries were important placer gold producers, especially in regard to the "Old Channel" gravels which form a terrace to the west of the creek and 600 feet above it. Placer gold was discovered in 1854, and significant amounts of gold were produced. The Old Channel hydraulic pit on the high terrace was started in 1860 and ultimately became almost 2,000 feet wide and 100 feet deep, the largest such pit in southwestern Oregon. It is reported that over 50,000 ounces of gold were produced from the pit. The gravels averaged about 0.007 ounce of gold per cubic yard and a lot of good ground remains to be mined. There are a number of old lode gold mines in the Galice district, and those mineralized zones supplied most of the placer gold. The Galice district, including Mount Reuben, had a total production of around 268,000 gold ounces. The local placer operations include the Ankeny, Courtney, Carnegie, California-Oregon, and Last Chance Mines. The hillside just west of the Galice Range (approximately 1/4 to 1/2 miles wide, extending 4 miles to the southwest, patches of gravel on benches about 500 feet above present streams as dissected by tributaries of Galice Creek there is placer gold. The "High-bench gravels" along both sides of the Rogue River are gold-bearing but not much worked at this time. Downstream you will find the Dean and Dean, and Rocky Gulch placer mines. In Hellgate Canyon, the Hellgate placers, were very productive. Along Galice Creek there are many rich placers. Galice Creek was discovered in 1854 and later worked by Chinese miners. If you go west 1 mile you will find the Old Channel Placer Mine. It was the largest hydraulic mine in state and was discovered in 1860. If you go Northeast and 21 miles southwest of Glendale in Douglas County, in sections 22, 23, 26, and 27 of Township 33S and Range 8W, you will find the Benton Mine, near Mount Reuben. It was found in 1893 and is the largest underground mine in Oregon. It was closed in 1942. The Almeda, Gold Bug, Oriole, Black Bear, and Robertson (Bunker Hill) mines, were important producers of lode gold in the Area.

Grave Creek: Grave Creek and its tributaries have produced placer gold up to the present time. The largest dredging operation in Josephine County was conducted between 1935 and 1938 on the south side of Grave Creek east of Leland. Bedrock became too deep to clean and operations were terminated. An undisclosed but significant amount of gold was recovered. Butte, Coyote, Dog, Poorman, Shanks, Tom East, and Wolf Creeks were important gold producing tributaries. Tom East Creek, which drains the area of the Greenback lode mine, produced over 25,000 ounces of placer gold after 1897. A dragline excavator was used for a while on Coyote Creek east of the village of Wolf Creek. Considerable placer gold remains to be mined in the region. Northeast of Grants Pass about 18 miles and 5 miles East of I-5 at the Grave Creek bridge, in Northeast part of county from Winona to King Mountain, the Greenback Tri County district can be found. A group of lode gold mines along adjacent boundaries of Douglas and Jackson counties. Along Grave Creek and tributary Coyote and Wolf Creek; extensive placers, especially dredging on South side of Grave Creek. upstream from Leland you will find the largest operations in County history.

Horse Creek: On Jack Creek and nearby Horse Creek, placers worked before 1910. Hoover Gulch: Located in the western side of county, between latitude 42'13' and 42'29' N, longitude 123'38' and 124'05' W, the Illinois district had a total production, 1852-1953, between 5,000 and 10,000 ounces of placer gold. Sixmile Creek, Hoover Gulch, Rancherie, and Oak Flat, all bars, and benches, were rich placers.

Illinois River: Located in the western side of county, between latitude 42'13' and 42'29' N, longitude 123'38' and 124'05' W, the Illinois district had a total production, 1852-1953, between 5,000 and 10,000 ounces of placer gold along the Illinois R.. downstream from mouth of Josephine Creek, were very productive placers. The Illinois River and its tributaries were worked almost continuously from 1852 to 1942, and activity continues to this day by small companies and hobbyists. The river flows west into Curry County.

Some of the tributaries, such as Althouse Creek and Briggs Creek, have already been described, and Josephine Creek will be described here. The first discovery of gold in Oregon, in 1850, was made at the mouth of Josephine Creek, and Josephine Creek and its tributaries, Canyon, Days, and Fiddler Gulches, were quite productive. The bedrock is decomposed serpentine, and aside from gold and platinum group metals in the waterway, gold is also found in two partially cemented gravel benches, the highest of which is 150 feet above the stream. These gravels were worked by hydraulic methods as well as by drifting, and up to 20,000 ounces of gold were recovered, along with some PGM's. Between 1886 and 1911, considerable gold and PGM's were recovered by hydraulic methods from a broad gravel bench on both sides of the Illinois River below its junction with Josephine Creek. Much of the gold and platinum group metals found in the Illinois River and its tributaries came from mineralized zones in the district where there were small lode mines. Near headwaters of the Illinois River at Waldo, the famed "Sailors' Diggings" can be found. A rich placer discovered by sailors in 1852 en route from Coos Bay to the Jacksonville mines. The sailors dug a 41 mile ditch to bring water for sluicing and hydraulicing. Placer mining continued into 1942, with intermittent activity to the present. This area is noted for its large nuggets, one found weighing 15 lb.

Jack Creek: On Jack Creek and nearby Horse Creek, placers worked before 1910. Josephine Creek: Josephine Creek and its tributaries Canyon Creek and Fiddler Gulch, among most important and productive placer localities in the county. West side of county, between latitude 42'13' and 42'29' North, longitude 123'38' and 124'05' West,