While Oregon has much to offer by way of its natural beauty, an equally colorful treasure is hidden beneath its trails—gemstones that shine brighter than the sun. Because of the state’s long volcanic history, it has become one of America’s leading producers of precious stones. In fact, Oregon’s state gemstone is a type of feldspar, […]
Oregon mining
There’s Decent Gold in Oregon’s Umpqua River
The Cascade Mountains of Southern Oregon hide a lot of gold, with most of the early mining taking place in the Rogue River drainage (including the Applegate & Illinois Rivers, along with their many tributaries.) Some of the states richest ground is the area just north of the California border. Further north is another rich […]
Gold Rush to Bohemia – Explore this Early Oregon Mining Town
Oregon is most certainly a state that boasts a significantly rich history with regards to its gold rush heyday. Throughout the mid-late 19th century, countless people flocked to the mountains of Oregon with hopes of trying out their luck to strike it rich and change their lives forever. One of the most infamous areas of […]
Baker City: Gold brings thousands to Eastern Oregon
The Placers and Hard Rock Gold in Sumpter, OR
In 1862, the American Civil War was at its beginning stage when five men; Hugh Asbury, John Reel, Fletch Henderson, Bill Flanagan and Dick Johnson head out from South Carolina to the California Gold fields. They decided to camp near an area known today as the Cracker Creek, a tributary to the Powder River. While […]
The Mystery of the Lost Blue Bucket Mine
Everybody loves a mystery, and a mystery that includes treasure is even better! To use the term “mine” is misleading here, as this was a discovery of gold that was never actually mined at all. There are several versions of this story of the discovery of gold on the Meek Wagon Train trail in 1845, […]
Oregon’s Biggest Gold Nuggets
Oregon may be one of the most overlooked states in the western United States when it comes to gold prospecting and its potential for producing large gold nuggets. Many impressive specimens have come out of the state over the years. Some of the biggest nuggets that were found during the early gold rush here would […]