Where Gold Was Once Found
If you’ve ever done any research on South Dakota history, you probably know that the Black Hills Gold Rush was quite the big deal. People travelled here from near and far in hopes of striking it rich, little towns started springing up everywhere and gold mines were opened left and right.
Even though the gold rush has ended, we still have plenty to remind us of its influence. We have ghost towns, the design of Black Hills gold jewelry by Henri Lebeau, and of course, the old gold mines.
Many mines have been restored and are open to the public during the summer. I did a little searching and compiled a list of a few mines in the area that are a good stop for a lesson in gold rush history.
Big Thunder Gold Mine: This mine, located in Keystone, was originally called the Gold Hill Lode and was run by German immigrants named Krupp and Engle. This was one of the safest mines in the area, and because of this, was designated as Keystone’s bomb shelter during the war.
Broken Boot Gold Mine: In 1878, Olaf Seim and James Nelson started this mine (Originally Sien’s Mine) just outside of Deadwood. Mining operations completely ended in 1918, but a group of businessmen and Olaf’s daughter reopened the mine for tourism in 1954.
Thunderhead Underground Falls: This is the oldest gold mine open to the public in the Black Hills, and the only mine you’ll find with a waterfall flowing inside. Thunderhead is located just outside of Rapid City.
Homestake Mining Company: Located in the city of Lead, this mine remained open for over 120 years. This was the oldest and deepest mine in the entire Western Hemisphere, at 8,000 feet. Homestake is now home to the Sanford Underground Laboratory and was the research site for Nobel Prize for Physics winner Dr. Ray Davis in 2002.
Whether you’re a local or a tourist, I hope you get the chance to visit one of the mines! Many old mines are located throughout the Black Hills, but practice safety first! Don’t chance exploring an abandoned mine you might find on a hike through the forest. Stick to the mines you know have been restored and preserved for the public to enjoy.
Is it quite safe to go down the mines? I was always interested in it, reminds the Snowhite tale, and Jack London also))
To Arran Hideaways,
The mines listed above are safe to enter. However, people should stay out of the abandoned mines. They’re really dangerous, and there are a lot of them in the Black Hills. If you peer into one — from the safety of the entrance — you can usually see piles of big rock a few feet in. That’s evidence of a cave-in, and the next one could happen at any time. Don’t be standing under it when the rock comes down.
Caves are different, at least structurally. They’re formed naturally, and usually have some structure to support them. The biggest danger is getting stuck or getting lost.
I’m glad they have restored the mines for future generations to see what all the fuss was about and the hardship that the mine workers went through to try and strike it rich
We came across an abandoned open pit mine just south of Keystone off of Cemtery Road. It’s a deep pit through granite and pegmatite with tremendously sized chunks of mica. There is a lake at the bottom, and a tunnel dug through the side of the mountain to get to the bottom of the mine. Do you know anything about this place? Who might have operated it???
That’s the Etta Mine. (It’s on private property, so you probably shouldn’t go without permission.) I think they mined a number of minerals — stuff like lithium, feldspar and muscovite — there between the 1880s and 1950s.