Bohemia mining district facts for kids
The Bohemia mining district is a special area in the Cascade Range mountains of Oregon, a state in the United States. It's about 25 miles (40 km) southeast of a town called Cottage Grove, near Bohemia Mountain in Lane County. This district was the most successful mining spot in the Western Cascades region. Starting in the 1860s, miners here mostly dug up gold and silver. They also found copper, zinc, and lead. All together, these valuable metals were worth about $1 million back then!
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Discovering Gold in Bohemia
People first found gold in the Bohemia area in 1858. Two miners from California, W. W. Oglesby and Frank Bass, discovered "placer" gold. This type of gold is found in riverbeds, like in Sharps Creek, which flows from the mountains into the Row River.
A few years later, in 1863, another miner named James "Bohemia" Johnson found a different kind of gold. He was originally from a place called Bohemia in central Europe, which is how the area got its name! James Johnson found "lode" gold, which means it was still inside rocks, higher up in the mountains.
Forming the Mining District
Because of these exciting discoveries, James Johnson and other miners decided to create the Bohemia Gold and Silver Mining District in 1867. This helped organize the mining activities. Over time, many mines opened in the district. The most successful ones were known as Champion, Helena, Musick, and Noonday.
Where Else Gold Was Found
Gold, silver, and other valuable metals are often found in a wide strip of land in the Western Cascades. This strip is about 25 to 30 miles (40 to 48 km) wide. The Western Cascades are older mountains that have been worn down over time. They run next to the younger, taller volcanic peaks of the High Cascades.
This special strip of land includes five main mining areas:
- The Bohemia district (in Lane County)
- The Fall Creek district (also in Lane County)
- The North Santiam district (in Clackamas and Marion counties)
- The Quartzville district (in Linn County)
- The Blue River district (in Linn and Lane counties)
Life in Bohemia City
The Bohemia mining district even had its own post office for about 30 years! It opened in 1893 and closed in 1922. The first person in charge of the post office was John B. McGee.
Around the mines, a small community grew up called Bohemia City. It had houses for the miners, saloons (places where people could relax), and even a hotel. Everything they needed, like food and supplies, had to be brought in from Cottage Grove.
