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Eagle Borax Works facts for kids

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The Eagle Borax Works was an important place in Death Valley, California. It was the first factory built there to get a special mineral called borax from the ground. Borax is used in many things, like cleaning products and glass. This site helped start the borax mining industry in the area.

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Eagle Borax Works
EagleBoraxWorksCA.jpg
Site of the Eagle Borax Works
Eagle Borax Works is located in California
Eagle Borax Works
Location in California
Eagle Borax Works is located in the United States
Eagle Borax Works
Location in the United States
Location Death Valley National Park, Furnace Creek, California
Area 54 acres (22 ha)
Built 1883
NRHP reference No. 74000338
Added to NRHP December 31, 1974

The Eagle Borax Works was started in 1882 by Isidore Daunet and his partners. They found a lot of borate minerals near Bennetts Well. This partnership created the very first borax factory in Death Valley.

Workers would process the borax at the site. Then, partly cleaned borax was taken to Daggett, California. They used special teams of 12 mules pulling two wagons. This was a long and hard journey through the Panamint Valley.

The borax business worked until 1884. After that, the company faced many problems. The property later became part of the U.S. Borax Company. In 1922, it went to Borax Consolidated, Ltd. Later, in 1956, the Death Valley Hotel Company bought it. Finally, the land became part of the National Park Service.

Today, not much is left of the original buildings. There used to be a boiler and large tanks. These tanks were used to dissolve the borax and then let it crystallize. A stone building was also nearby for the workers to live in. Now, you can still see the boiler's fire box. There is also an earth mound where the stone building once stood.

About Isidore Daunet

Isidore Daunet (1850–1884) was a French immigrant to the United States. He came to San Francisco when he was ten years old. By age 13, he was already looking for valuable minerals.

Daunet found the borax minerals during a very difficult trip across Death Valley in 1880. Three of his friends died on that journey. Daunet himself barely survived the harsh conditions.

After starting the borax company in 1882, he ran into serious business trouble. He also faced personal difficulties, including losing a lot of money due to dishonest people.

Why This Place Is Important

The site of the Eagle Borax Works is very important for history. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 31, 1974. This means it is a special place that is protected.

The site is located inside Death Valley National Park. Visitors can learn about the early days of mining in the area. It shows how people worked hard to get valuable minerals from the desert.

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