South Strafford in Orange County, Vermont — The American Northeast (New England)
Elizabeth Mine
Photographed by PaulwC3, April 27, 2013
1. Elizabeth Mine marker
In the 1790s a body of ore was discovered here, leading to the production of copperas from 1809 - 1880s and the intermittent production of copper from 1832 - 1958. The mine site covered 850 acres, and over three million tons of ore were extracted from open cuts and below ground. By 1834 the site included one of the nation's earliest successful large-scale copper smelting plants. Employing as many as 220 workers, the mine had a major impact on the economic and cultural development of Strafford and surrounding towns. By the 1980s the site was identified as a source of pollution in nearby streams. It was designated a National Priorities List (Superfund) clean-up site in 2001 by the Environmental Protection Agency, and a massive remediation effort followed.
Erected 2012 by Vermont Division for Historic Preservation.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation Markers series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1809.
Location. 43° 49.463′ N, 72° 19.961′ W. Marker is near South Strafford, Vermont, in Orange County. It is on Mine Road 0.1 miles north of Copperas Road, on the right when traveling
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Vermont’s Connecticut River Valley and in the Green Mountains. It is also in the American Northeast and in New England. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Furnace Flat (approx. Ύ mile away); Justin Smith Morrill / Morrill Homestead (approx. 3½ miles away); Strafford Village (approx. 3.6 miles away); Strafford (approx. 3.6 miles away); Old City and Old City Falls (approx. 4.4 miles away); Camp Farnsworth (approx. 4.7 miles away); Thetford Academy (approx. 5.2 miles away); Peabody Library (approx. 5½ miles away).
Also see . . . South Strafford's Elizabeth Copper Mine - Vermont Historical Society. The Elizabeth Copper Mine in South Strafford, Vermont, has an interesting history, from the initial discovery of its sulphide ore body in 1793 through its final closing in 1958. (Submitted on April 30, 2013, by PaulwC3 of Northern, Virginia.)
Photographed by PaulwC3, April 27, 2013
2. Wide view of the Elizabeth Mine marker
Located on the western rim overlooking the mine pit from Mine Road.
Photographed by PaulwC3, April 27, 2013
3. Elizabeth Mine
A present day view of the EPA Superfund remediated main open pit. It took nearly a decade of work to clean up over 150 years of mining at the 850 acre site.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 30, 2013, by PaulwC3 of Northern, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,038 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 30, 2013, by PaulwC3 of Northern, Virginia.
