El Dorado City, Nevada facts for kids
El Dorado City was once a busy mining camp that is now a ghost town. It was located in the Colorado Mining District, right where January Wash meets El Dorado Canyon. This spot was about 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) from Huse Spring, at an elevation of about 726 meters (2,382 feet). El Dorado City was very close to the Techatticup Mine, which was the main source of the valuable rock (called ore) that its mill processed.
The name "El Dorado" comes from Spanish and means "the gilded" or "the golden one." It suggests something very valuable, like gold.
The Story of El Dorado City
El Dorado City became famous for its El Dorado Mills, also known as the Colorado Mills. This was the very first stamp mill in the canyon, and possibly the first in all of Arizona Territory at that time. A stamp mill is a machine that crushes rocks to get valuable metals out of them.
In late 1863, a man named Colonel James Russell Vineyard, who was a State Senator from Los Angeles, built this important mill. He used parts from other mills that were no longer being used in California. The mill was built in what became El Dorado City. Its main job was to process the ore from the Techatticup Mine and other mines in the canyon.
Before this mill was built, mine owners had to ship their ore a very long way. They sent it down the Colorado River by steamboat, and then by sea all the way to San Francisco for processing. This was very expensive! Having the mill right there in El Dorado City cut these costs in half, which was a huge help for the mine owners.
In 1866, the Colorado Mills were moved further down the canyon, closer to the river landing, and were updated.
A Changing Map
When El Dorado City was first established, it was part of Mohave County in Arizona Territory. However, the land borders were still being decided. In 1867, the area became part of the new state of Nevada. But there was a disagreement about this change that wasn't fully settled until 1870. After that, El Dorado City officially became part of Lincoln County, Nevada. The town continued to exist and be active into the 1880s.
El Dorado City Today
Today, the site where El Dorado City once stood is located in Clark County, Nevada. It remains a quiet ghost town, a reminder of the mining boom days.
