Vulture Mine facts for kids
Vulture Mine Marker
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| Location | |
|---|---|
 Vulture Mine
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| Arizona | |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 33°52′44″N 112°47′42″W / 33.87889°N 112.79500°W |
| Production | |
| Products | Gold, Silver |
| History | |
| Opened | 1863 |
| Closed | 1942 |
The Vulture Mine was a famous gold mine and a small town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It started in 1863 and became the most successful gold mine in Arizona's history. Between 1863 and 1942, the mine produced a lot of gold and silver.
This mine brought over 5,000 people to the area. It even helped start the nearby town of Wickenburg, Arizona. The town right next to the mine was called Vulture City.
Contents
History of the Vulture Mine
The Vulture Mine began when a gold seeker named Henry Wickenburg found a special rock with gold inside. He started digging for gold himself in 1863. Soon after, a small mining town called Vulture City grew up around the mine.
At one point, about 5,000 people lived in Vulture City. But after the mine closed, the town was left empty and became a "ghost town". Later, Henry Wickenburg sold his discovery to a group of investors. They formed a company called the Vulture Mining Company.
The desert around the Vulture Mine didn't have much food. So, a clever person named Jack Swilling went to the Phoenix Valley. He reopened old water channels that native people had used long ago. This brought farming back to the valley.
A route was made to bring grain from the farms to the mine. This route is still used today and is called Grand Avenue. The city of Phoenix grew because of the farms that supplied the Vulture Mine.
In 1942, the Vulture Mine was ordered to close by the government. This was because all resources were needed for the war effort at that time. The mine tried to reopen and did for a short while, but it wasn't as busy. A few years later, the mine closed for good.
Today, the mine and the ghost town are privately owned. You can take guided walking tours to see the old buildings of Vulture City. It's like stepping back in time to see what a busy mining town was like!
Location of the Vulture Mine
The Vulture Mine is located in Maricopa County, Arizona. Its address is 36610 N. 355th Avenue, Wickenburg, Arizona, United States, Zip code: 85390.
Exploring Vulture Mine and Vulture City
Here are some pictures showing the historic Vulture Mine and the buildings that are still standing in Vulture City, which is now a ghost town.
- Historic Vulture Mine and Vulture City (Ghost town)
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Entrance to Vulture Mine and Vulture City ghost town.
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Vulture Mine , Vulture Mountain and caves.
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Nickel Shaft.
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Entrance to the Vulture Mine gold mine shaft.
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Inside of the entrance of the gold mine shaft.
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Some of the mining equipment once used.
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Vulture City Gate House.
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Vulture City Ghost town houses.
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Vulture City Dynamite House where dynamite and ammo was stored.
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Vulture City Gas Station.
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The Vulture City Workshop.
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The Vulture Mine-Assay office, built in 1884, in Vulture City.
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Side view of the Vulture Mine-Assay office
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Full view of the Vulture_Mine-Assay office.
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Vulture City Chow House where the miners ate.
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The kitchen of the Vulture City Chow House.
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Vulture City Hanging Tree.
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One of the Miners Living Quarters in Vulture City.
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The ruins of the Vulture City Saloon.
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The ruins of the Vulture City Post Office which opened in 1880 and whose postmaster was Henry Wickenburg.
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The ruins of Henry Wickenburg's Settlers Home in Vulture City.
See also
In Spanish: Mina Vulture para niños
