Warm Springs Camp

Warm Springs Camp. Death Valley National Park. , Independent from an early age, Louise Grantham moved from Ohio to California in her twenties and, without training or experience, became a prospector. The fact that this land belonged to someone else did not deter her. , In 1929, Grantham leased land from Bob Thompson, a local Timbisha Shoshone man. The springs were his ancestral homeland, but after signing a five year lease and making just one payment, Grantham sued him for ownership. , With the legal battle underway, Grantham occupied this site and posted an armed watchman to guard against "trespassers." The courts eventually supported Thompson's claim. For over a year, attempts were made to evict Grantham (including by federal marshals enforcing a court order), but she refused to comply. Eventually, Thompson walked away from his claims. Grantham assumed total ownership and operated the most successful talc mine in the region until her death in 1969. , Legal battles and outright hostility were common between prospectors and land owners, especially when fortunes were at stake. Imagine yourself in the situation: What is justified for a chance at wealth? What would make you walk away? , Talc Mining , Talc is a soft white mineral that is added to paint, cosmetics, ceramics, and paper. The onset of World War I saw a boom in talc mining. By 1960, this region produced around 25% of the nation's talc. For a time, the Warm Springs Talc Mines were the most successful in the West.