Near Panamint Springs in Inyo County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Lookout City
Photographed by Craig Baker
1. Lookout City Marker
Located high above the Panamint Valley, Lookout supported the needs of miners working at the Modoc and Minietta mines below. Lookout sprang up in May of 1875 with the discovery of silver/lead ore which proved to be quite abundant. In 1876 Lookout District was formed. Remi Nadeau built a toll road across the valley floor to Lookout. A tri-weekly stage made its way to the town of Darwin. The Wildrose Kilns supplied charcoal to Lookout's ore smelters. Lookout had a bank, two general stores, three saloons and 30-40 other stone buildings.
Erected by California Desert Historical Society.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Natural Resources • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1875.
Location. 36° 14.742′ N, 117° 26.071′ W. Marker is near Panamint Springs, California, in Inyo County. It can be reached from an un-named dirt road, 5 miles west of Panamint Valley Road. Four wheel drive required. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Darwin CA 93522, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in California’s Sierra Nevada. It is also in the American Mountain West. Globally, it is in North America, on the Ring of Fire, in the Pacific Rim, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also Mexicos Alta California.
Other nearby markers. At least 3 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Panamint Springs (approx. 6.7 miles away); Padre Crowley Point
this page online
Regarding Lookout City. The discovery of silver-lead ore was named the Modoc, and was sold to a group of investors which included George Hearst, the famed mining engineer, U.S. Senator, and father of William Randolph Hearst. Together with the discovery of other nearby mines, which included the Minnietta Belle below Lookout Mountain, these mines formed the basis for the Modoc District with the townsite of Lookout located on top of Lookout Mountain at an elevation of 3579 feet. By 1876 two 60 ton furnaces and a 10-stamp mill were running and production was quoted as running 160 silver-lead bars per day. The bars averaged 90 lbs. each and assayed around $400. By the end of 1876 Remi Nadeau's Cerro Gordo Freighting Company had hauled 10,000 bars worth some $4,000,000 over the Bullion Trail which was originally built for the ore of the Cerro Gordo Mines. Remi Nadeau needed a faster route for his teams, so he constructed the Nadeau "Shotgun" road across the Panamint Valley and over the Slate Range to meet the Bullion Trail south of China Lake.
To supply the furnaces with charcoal, ten charcoal kilns were built in Wildrose Canyon 25 miles away in the Panamint Range, and a steady stream of burros delivered charcoal in sacks to Lookout City via
Photographed by Craig Baker
2. Lookout City
-from Wikipedia
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. - Wildrose Charcoal Kilns.
Public Domain
3. Lookout City
Photographed by Craig Baker
4. Wildrose Charcoal Kilns
Credits. This page was last revised on February 10, 2026. It was originally submitted on November 24, 2025, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 75 times since then and 42 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 24, 2025, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 4. submitted on November 5, 2020, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.
