Providence, San Bernardino County, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Providence
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 Providence
Location in California
Providence
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | San Bernardino |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
Providence was a small mining town in California that doesn't exist anymore. It was a "ghost town" where people once dug for silver. It was only active for a short time, from 1880 to 1886.
Contents
Where Was Providence?
Providence was built on the eastern side of the Providence Mountains. This area is in San Bernardino County, California. Today, you can find its old location just north of the Providence Mountain State Recreation Area.
The Story of Providence
Finding Silver
In the spring of 1880, groups of prospectors from a nearby town called Ivanpah found a lot of silver ore. They discovered it along the steep slopes of the Providence Mountains. The best silver mine was called the Bonanza King.
The Bonanza King Mine
Soon after it was found, the Bonanza King mine was sold. Two men named Wilson Waddingham and Thomas Ewing bought it. They quickly started working the mine. They hired about 150 men to help them. They also built a large machine called a "20-stamp mill" to crush the silver ore.
Life in the Mining Camp
A post office opened in Providence in the middle of 1882. Because Providence was a "company camp," meaning the mining company owned most of it, there weren't many businesses. The town had only two general stores and three saloons. By 1882, the Bonanza King mine had produced a huge amount of silver, worth about $1.5 million!
The Decline of the Town
For reasons that are not fully clear, the mine owners, Waddingham and Ewing, started letting workers go. Then, in the middle of 1885, the large mill that crushed the silver ore burned down.
In 1886, a smaller mill was built at a nearby mine called Perseverance. However, the price of silver kept going down. This made it harder for the mines to make money. The post office in Providence finally closed in 1892.
Later Attempts to Revive Mining
Even after the town faded, people tried to restart mining in the area several times.
- Between 1906 and 1907, a company built a new mill powered by gasoline. It was located just below the old Bonanza King mine.
- During World War I, a company from the eastern United States rebuilt the mill again. They even set up a camp with electricity and running water for the workers. They reopened the mine.
- Smaller attempts to mine silver happened again in the 1920s.
Even with these efforts, Providence never became a busy town again. It remained a ghost town, a reminder of the silver rush days.
