Wall Street Mill

Wall Street Mill. . , At the edge of the Wonderland of Rocks sits the Wall Street Mill, the finest example of a gold processing mill remaining in the park. A two-stamp mill, the building that covers it, the well that supplied it water, and the well pump all remain. A 2.2-mile round-trip trail leads to the mill site. , , During the Depression, the mining regions here experienced a second gold rush. As miners arrived, long-time rancher-miner Bill Keys recognized the need for a gold processing mill. In 1930 he bought the Wall Street Mill site, which had an existing well. Keys gathered the stamp mill and other machinery from area mine and mill sites to assemble his mill. For a fee, he processed ore for small-mine operators. When the gold was removed from the ore, it went back to the miner, to a smelter in Mojave, or to the U.S. Mint in San Francisco. Keys ran the mill on an as-needed basis, last using it in 1966. , , photo captions: , A 12-horsepower gasoline engine, through a system of shafts, belts, and pulleys, powered this 1891-built two stamp mill at the Wall Street Mill. , , Mill operator Bill Keys erected this monument, still seen along the trail, after shooting Worth Bagley in self-defense over a property dispute. Keys served five years at San Quentin - his college days - before receiving a full pardon. , , Destinations and Mileages , Wall Street Mill Trail: , The trail passes through desert washes and gently rolling terrain. 2.2-miles round trip, 1 hour, Easy. , Barker Dam Nature Trail: , The trail circles past the lake and dam, with a short rock scramble at the foot of the dam. Minor climbing through narrow rock passages is required, 1.3-mile loop trail, 1 hour. Easy. , , Know Before You Go , Pets are not allowed on trails. , Drink plenty of water. , When the water is half-gone, it is time to return. , Bikes are not allowed on this trail. , Use caution near mines - stay out and stay alive. , Camping and campfires are restricted to established campgrounds. Leave wildlife, plants, rocks, and artifacts undisturbed. , , Wall Street Stamp Mill , William F. Keys operated the Wall Street Stamp Mill sporadically from 1930-1966, processing gold ore from his mines and mines of others from this region of the desert. , , Prior to milling operations, other activities took place in the area. Native Americans used the natural food sources and rock shelters in the vicinity. In the late 1800s, William McHaney dug a well and this became a popular cattle watering area. , , The most recent activity here was the search for the ever-illusive precious metal gold. In 1928, Oran Booth and Earle McInnes filed a claim at the well site, built a cabin, and named the site "Wall Street." They left Wall Street due to other opportunities and on July 1, 1930, William Keys filed a milling claim on the site. Keys completed the bunk house, built an outhouse, and transported a two-stamp mill ore crusher to the site. , , William Keys died in 1969. In 1975, the Wall Street Stamp Mill was entered in the National Register of Historic Sites due to its local technological/mechanical significance. It is a complete gold ore crushing mill featuring late nineteenth century two-stamp mill machinery.