Atlantic Cable Quartz Lode facts for kids
| Location | |
|---|---|
 Atlantic Cable Quartz Lode
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| Location | Deer Lodge County |
| States | Montana |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 46°10′08″N 113°09′40″W / 46.16889°N 113.16111°W |
The Atlantic Cable Quartz Lode is a historic gold mine located in Deer Lodge County, Montana. It's in the southwestern part of Montana, nestled between the towns of Drummond and Anaconda. You can find it along Montana Highway 1, which is also known as the Pintler Scenic Route, just east of Georgetown Lake. This mine was once a very important source of gold in Montana.
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Discovering Gold at the Atlantic Cable Mine
The Atlantic Cable Quartz Lode was officially named on June 15, 1867. Its name celebrates a big event from that time: the successful laying of the second transatlantic cable. This cable allowed messages to be sent across the Atlantic Ocean.
How the Mine Got Its Name
The mine was discovered by three men: Alexander Aiken, John B. Pearson, and Jonas Stough. They were camped near Flint Creek when their horses wandered off. While tracking their horses, they stumbled upon the rich gold deposit that became the mine. To start mining, they brought machinery for the first mill all the way from Swansea, Wales. This heavy equipment was then moved by wagon teams from Corinne, Utah, which was the closest place with a railroad.
Ups and Downs of a Mining Town
In the 1800s, mining at the Atlantic Cable Quartz Lode was not always steady. The town that grew around the mine, Cable, Montana, experienced several "boom and bust" cycles. This means the town would grow quickly when the mine was doing well, and then shrink when mining slowed down.
The town boomed and busted four times:
- 1867–1869
- 1873–1878
- 1883–1891
- 1902–1940
The mine itself operated with different levels of success until around 1880. That's when miners found extremely rich ore (rock containing valuable minerals).
A Huge Gold Find!
One section of the mine, about 500 feet long, produced an amazing $6,500,000 worth of gold! In 1889, a famous businessman named W. A. Clark paid $19,000 for just one large piece of gold ore from this mine. He believed it was the biggest gold nugget ever found at that time.
The Mine Today
In 1902, two brothers worked to clean up the mine and found $18,000 worth of gold from their first effort. By 1906, the mill was running three shifts a day, meaning people were working almost constantly. However, by 1940, the mine became inactive. It has not been worked since then.
