Joe Walker Town, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joe Walker Town
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 Joe Walker Town
Location in California
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Kern County |
Joe Walker Town was a small community that used to exist in Kern County, California. It was located in an area called the Walker Basin, very close to the Joe Walker Mine. The town, the mine, and the basin were all named after a famous explorer and guide named Joe Walker.
This town was mainly a home for the people who worked at the Joe Walker Mine. At its busiest, at least 100 single miners lived there. About 12 families also made Joe Walker Town their home.
The Joe Walker Gold Mine
The Joe Walker gold mine was started on March 20, 1866. It was founded by a man named Hamp Williams. His son, also named Hamp Williams, later discovered silver in a place called Randsburg.
Williams sold the mine for $2,000 to some investors. These investors had the money to buy the right equipment for the mine. They brought in a large machine called a 20-stamp mill all the way from San Francisco. This machine was used to crush rocks and get the gold out.
Mine's Success and Challenges
The mine quickly became one of the most successful in the area. It earned $12,000 in just six days. Over its entire working life, the mine produced a total of $600,000 worth of gold.
However, the mine soon faced a big problem: flooding. Water would fill the mine shafts faster than it could be pumped out. Even a special powerful pump called a Cornish engine, shipped from England, couldn't keep up.
Changes in Ownership and Later Use
After a few years, the mine changed owners several times. People tried to get it working again. One of the last owners was Senator John Percival Jones of Nevada in 1873. But the flooding problem was too difficult to solve. The mine was eventually closed down and put into "mothballs," meaning it was kept but not used.
The mine was later taken over by the estate of Phoebe Hearst because of an unpaid debt. It remained unused for 60 years. In 1939, a man named Tom Duffin bought the mine and reopened it in 1941. However, the flooding problem still remained, and the mine had to be abandoned once more.
Today, the old mine is no longer used for gold. Instead, it serves a new purpose. The mine shafts are now used as a reservoir, holding water to help grow crops in the area.
