Hart, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hart
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 Hart
Location in California
Hart
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | San Bernardino |
| National Park Service | Castle Mountains National Monument |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1660728 |
Hart was a gold mining town that didn't last very long. It was located in the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County, California. The town existed from 1908 to 1915. You can find its old location on the edge of Lanfair Valley, close to the New York Mountains. Today, this area is part of the Castle Mountains National Monument, which is looked after by the National Park Service.
Contents
History of Hart
Finding Gold in the Desert
In late 1907, when many people were struggling financially, three prospectors from Goldfield, Nevada found something amazing. These prospectors, James Hart and the brothers Bert and Clark Hitt, discovered rich gold ore in the Castle Mountains. This spot was about four miles south of the Barnwell & Searchlight Railroad.
The Gold Rush Begins
People called this discovery the "Second Goldfield bonanza," meaning it was a huge and exciting find. In early 1908, hundreds of prospectors rushed to the area. Within a few months, about 700 people arrived. They quickly set up a camp, and a telephone line was built to the nearby town of Barnwell, California. A weekly newspaper called Enterprise also started up. The area even got its own voting place and a post office.
Life in a Boomtown
By the summer of 1908, Hart had grown to about 1,500 residents. The town had two hotels, the Norton House and the Martin House, plus a rooming house called the Star. There were also two general stores, a book and cigar store, a real-estate office, a candy shop, two lumberyards, and a bakery. For entertainment, there were eight saloons.
Miners in Hart formed a union to protect their rights. A group of business owners worked to keep the town orderly and safe. They limited how much alcohol could be sold and made sure police and fire rules were followed. They also made sure that gamblers and troublemakers left town.
The Mines and Decline
The original gold claim found by Hart and Hitt was sold in 1908 for $100,000 to the Oro Belle Mining Company. However, this mine never made a profit and closed for good in 1918.
Sadly, all the other mines in Hart faced the same problem. The rich pockets of gold ore were small and didn't last long. Because of this, mining in Hart started to decline as early as 1909. The Big Chief mine, also owned by the Hart brothers, was the largest mine besides the Oro Belle. It had a 10 Stamp mill, which was a machine used to crush rock and get the gold out. Other mines included the Twin Peaks, the Flyer, the Florence, and the Zinc-Graf property.
Hart Becomes a Ghost Town
As the gold ran out, businesses like the Enterprise newspaper began to close. A fire destroyed much of the main business area, which was already mostly empty. The biggest mines stopped working, and the miners' union was disbanded. By late 1915, the voting district was closed, and the post office shut down. Hart quickly became a ghost town.
