Almaden in San Jose in Santa Clara County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

El Senator Mine

(El Senador Mine)

Photographed By Lester J Letson, circa Sept 2007

1. El Senator Mine Marker

Inscription. This mine was opened in 1863 and worked intermittently until March 1926. In 1915 a reduction plant, which included the first Herreschoff furnace and electric dust collector ever used in the recovery of quicksilver, was erected. The mine was worked to the 1,300 foot level and produced 20,000 flasks of quicksilver.

Erected 1977 by Mountain Charlie Chapter No.1850, E Clampus Vitus.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Natural Resources. In addition, it is included in the E Clampus Vitus series list. A significant historical date for this entry is March 26, 1926.

Location. 37° 12.657′ N, 121° 53.396′ W. Marker is in San Jose, California, in Santa Clara County. It is in Almaden. Marker can be reached from McAbee Road, 0.4 miles east of Quicksilver Park Trailhead to Senator Mine trail. Turn south off of Camden Road onto McAbee Road, take McAbee Road until it dead ends at the Quicksilver Park trail-head. From the McAbee Road entrance, take the Senator Mine Trail (walking trail) into Quicksilver Park for a little less than half a mile to get to the concrete towers and plaque. There are trail markers that will point you to the correct trail. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: San Jose CA 95120, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers

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are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. El Senador Mine (within shouting distance of this marker); Almadén Vineyards (approx. 2 miles away); Goodrich Quarry (approx. 2.3 miles away); De Anza Expedition 1775 - 1776 (approx. 2.3 miles away); Wood Road & Jacques Ridge (approx. 2.9 miles away); Santa Isabel Shaft (approx. 3 miles away); The Buena Vista (approx. 3 miles away); Mining Operations (approx. 3.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in San Jose.

More about this marker. There are 2 concrete towers still standing that were once dust bins from the furnace used in the processing the cinnabar into mercury. They are all that is left of a reduction plant that ran from 1863 to 1926. There are a few plants growing near the towers, but most are dead, the high level of mercury in the ground around the towers is still very toxic.

Photographed By Syd Whittle, March 29, 2011

2. El Senator Mine Marker

Photographed By Lester J Letson, circa Sept. 2007

3. El Senator Mine Marker

Close up of the wording on the brass plaque

El Senator Mine Furnace Towers image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Lester J Letson

4. El Senator Mine Furnace Towers

The towers that remain from the Herschoff furnace and dust collector that processed the cinnabar mined from the El Senator Mine.

El Senator Mine Dedication Article From 1977 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Lester J Letson

5. El Senator Mine Dedication Article From 1977

Jim Arbuckle holds the brass plaque in this 1977 news article about the dedication.

Photographed By Lester J Letson, circa Sept 2007

6. El Senator Mine Marker

Pictures of the mine taken by John Gordon in its final days in 1926 from a newspaper article about the dedication in 1977.

El Senator Mine Dedicated image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Lester J Letson, circa Sept 2007

7. El Senator Mine Dedicated

Joel Roberts, who dedicated the El Senator Mine in 1977 returns 30 years later in 2007 and brings along the San Jose Newspaper from the 1977 dedication with him.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 8, 2010, by Lester J Letson of Fresno, California. This page has been viewed 1,271 times since then and 47 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on August 8, 2010, by Lester J Letson of Fresno, California. 2. submitted on March 29, 2011, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on August 8, 2010, by Lester J Letson of Fresno, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.