Near Bonanza City (ghost town) in Custer County, Idaho — The American West (Mountains)
Yankee Fork Gold Dredge
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, June 25, 2017
1. Yankee Fork Gold Dredge Marker
Inscription.
Yankee Fork Gold Dredge. . Starting in 1872, the valley bottom along the Yankee Fork, was hand placered in the search for free gold. Later, the Snake River Mining Company tested the ground along the stream and found gold still remained in the deep gravels. After obtain the mineral rights to the various claims along the stream the company decided to bring in a gold dredge and recover the gold left behind by earlier prospectors. Although the first successful mechanical gold dredge machine had been built in New Zealand in 1882, it wasn't until 1890 that the Bucyrus Company of Milwaukee built the first successful gold dredge use in the United States. In 1897 the Risdon Company of California perfected the design for most later dredges. The Yankee Fork dredge is of the California-type, but was built by Bucyrus-Erie. This dredge was purchased by the Snake River Company in 1939, and hauled to the Yankee Fork to be assembled. The dredge recovered over $1,200,000 in gold from about 6,000,000 cubic yards of gravel and was shut down in 1952, after all claims owned by the company were dredged.
Starting in 1872, the valley bottom along the Yankee Fork, was hand placered in the search for free gold. Later, the Snake River Mining Company tested the ground along the stream and found gold still remained in the deep gravels. After obtain the mineral rights to the various claims along the stream the company decided to bring in a gold dredge and recover the gold left behind by earlier prospectors. Although the first successful mechanical gold dredge machine had been built in New Zealand in 1882, it wasn't until 1890 that the Bucyrus Company of Milwaukee built the first successful gold dredge use in the United States. In 1897 the Risdon Company of California perfected the design for most later dredges. The Yankee Fork dredge is of the California-type, but was built by Bucyrus-Erie. This dredge was purchased by the Snake River Company in 1939, and hauled to the Yankee Fork to be assembled. The dredge recovered over $1,200,000 in gold from about 6,000,000 cubic yards of gravel and was shut down in 1952, after all claims owned by the company were dredged.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1939.
Location. 44° 22.628′ N, 114° 43.364′ W. Marker is near Bonanza City (ghost town), Idaho, in Custer County. Marker
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is on Yankee Fork Road - Custer Motorway Adventure Road near Loon Creek Road, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Stanley ID 83278, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Also see . . . Yankee Fork Gold Dredge - U.S. Forest Service. In 1939 the Silas Mason company out of New York was looking for a place to invest some money to help out the economy. After doing some surveying they picked Yankee Fork valley as a place to do some dredging for gold. It was estimated that there was 11 million dollars of gold to be had in the 5 1/2 mile claim. (Submitted on November 12, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, June 25, 2017
2. Yankee Fork Gold Dredge and Marker
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, June 25, 2017
3. Yankee Fork Gold Dredge
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, June 25, 2017
4. Yankee Fork Gold Dredge
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, June 25, 2017
5. Yankee Fork Gold Dredge
Credits. This page was last revised on November 12, 2017. It was originally submitted on November 12, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 350 times since then and 35 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on November 12, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
