Winterhaven in Imperial County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Picacho Mines

Photographed by Craig Baker

1. Picacho Mines Marker

Inscription. Opened by placer miners after 1852, the gold mines expanded into hard rock quarrying by 1872. Picacho employed 700 miners at its peak from 1895 to 1900. Mill accidents, low ore quality, and the loss of cheap river transport with the building of Laguna Dam, led to numerous periods of inactivity. With ores far from worked out, the Picacho mines using modern techniques again resumed operations in 1984.

Erected 1985 by State Department of Parks and Recreation in cooperation with Squibob Chapter, E Clampus Vitus and the Imperial Valley Pioneers Historical Society. (Marker Number 193.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Natural Resources • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the California Historical Landmarks, and the E Clampus Vitus series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1852.

Location. 32° 58.314′ N, 114° 38.11′ W. Marker is in Winterhaven, California, in Imperial County. It is on Picacho Road, on the right when traveling north. Marker is located on the Picacho Recreation Lands. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Winterhaven CA 92283, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in California’s Imperial Valley.

It is also in the American Southwest.

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 Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 4 other markers are within 16 miles of this marker, measured

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as the crow flies: Picacho (approx. 3.8 miles away); World War II Bridge Test Site (approx. 12 miles away in Arizona); Italians at the Yuma Test Branch (approx. 12 miles away in Arizona); Obregon (approx. 15.8 miles away).

Another marker is no longer nearby. Site of Mission San Pedro y San Pablo de Bicuner (was approx. 12.8 miles away but has been confirmed missing).

Photographed by Michael Kindig, April 18, 2009

2. Picacho Mines Marker

Photographed by Michael Kindig, April 18, 2009

3. Picacho Mines Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on January 19, 2024. It was originally submitted on December 17, 2011, by Michael Kindig of Elk Grove, California. This page has been viewed 960 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on January 19, 2024, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 2, 3. submitted on December 17, 2011, by Michael Kindig of Elk Grove, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.