Kearsarge, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kearsarge
Kearsarge City
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Former settlement
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 Kearsarge
Location in California
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Inyo County |
| Elevation | 8,830 ft (2,690 m) |
Kearsarge or Kearsarge City was once a busy mining town in Inyo County, in eastern California. It was built high up on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada mountains. This old town was about 8 miles (13 km) west of the modern town of Independence, California.
The mining camp was part of the Kearsarge Mining District. It sat just below the tall, granite Kearsarge Peak, which is 12,621 feet (3,847 m) high. It was also located east of the Kearsarge Pass.
Contents
The Story of Kearsarge
How Kearsarge Got Its Name
Kearsarge was named after a famous ship from the American Civil War. This ship was called the USS Kearsarge. It had recently won an important naval battle, sinking the Confederate ship CSS Alabama near France. Interestingly, a nearby area had been named Alabama Hills by people who supported the Confederate side. So, naming this new town Kearsarge was a way to "even the score" after the battle.
The Discovery of Gold and Silver
In the fall of 1864, five woodcutters made an amazing discovery. They found a rich vein of silver and gold ore on the side of a mountain that didn't even have a name yet! These men quickly claimed the land for themselves. They named their mines Kearsarge, Silver Sprout, and Virginia Mines.
They managed to mine and send four tons of ore to a stamp mill in Nevada. A stamp mill is a machine that crushes rocks to get the valuable metals out. They earned an incredible $900 for each ton of ore! When news of their rich discovery spread, the Kearsarge Mining District was quickly set up. The mining camp, also called Kearsarge, grew up below the mines in the Eastern Sierra mountains.
Growth of the Mining Town
Soon, several investors bought the three main silver claims. They formed a company called the Kearsarge Mining Company. By August 1865, these new owners had dug a 50-foot (15 m) tunnel into the mountain. They found ore that was worth even more, over $650 per ton.
The Great Avalanche
Life in the mountains could be very dangerous. After a winter with lots of heavy snow, a terrible event happened on March 1, 1866. An avalanche (a huge slide of snow and ice) swept through the town. It destroyed most of the buildings and sadly, some people were killed or hurt. The wife of the mine foreman died, and several men were injured.
After the avalanche, the camp was moved to a safer spot nearby. However, most of the people who lived there left. Only the miners stayed to keep working the mines. A mill was built that summer to help process the ore. From 1875 to 1883, the Rex Montis mine became the main source of gold in the area.
The End of Kearsarge
By 1888, Kearsarge was mostly empty. The mill was taken away, and very little was left of the town. People tried to restart the mines later on, but they didn't have much success. Kearsarge became what is known as a "ghost town."
