See more ideas about gold, placer gold and the last giant. Clark c spence a revolution in placer mining from inception in the 1880s until its demise in the 1960s and its impact on idaho, the nations fourth leading producer of dredged gold which provides a lens through. View all hotels near yankee fork gold dredge on tripadvisor. A gold dredge is a placer mining machine that extracts gold from sand, gravel, and dirt using water and mechanical methods. It dredged tons of gold out of the stream beds of idaho back at the turn of the century. The gold dredge is the same concept but on a much larger scale. Yankee fork gold dredge and tailing piles by osbod007 ive been looking at the spec. The yankee fork gold dredge association inc quick facts. A history of gold dredging in idahotells the story of a revolution in placer miningand its subsequent impact on the state of idahofrom its inception in the early 1880s until its demise in the early 1960s. Reclamation does its part to preserve history at the yankee fork gold dredge in idaho. The interpretive center near challis has a museum and gold panning station. The towns of custer and bonanza sprung up, and mining continued for many years. The state park interprets idahos frontier mining history, including the ghost towns bayhorse, bonanza, and custer.
Yankee fork gold dredge, custer county, idaho, july 28, 2010 composite image from three pentax k10d photos using autostitch in the early 1930s several placer miners joined together. When a traveler builds a plan from this page, the itinerary automatically includes yankee fork gold dredge. Yankee fork gold dredge and tailing piles detector. Land of the yankee fork state park is a historyoriented public recreation area covering 521. It is close to the historical yankee fork gold dredge, bonanza, custer mining town. A look into the history of the yankee fork dredge stanley. Nov 25, 2019 gold dredge, klondike river, canada, 1915 the yankee fork dredge near bonanza city, idaho, which operated into the 1950s. Once dredged for gold, the yankee fork is making a comeback.
It is a historical state monument now, once owned by simplot. The lower section of the yankee fork is now too shallow, and lacks habitat diversity for fish. A gold dredge is a placer mining machine that extracts gold from sand, gravel, and dirt using water and mechanical methods the original gold dredges were large, multistory machines built. Gold encouraged people to make their first trips out to the unknown west where they began the long and brutal search. Gold dredge, klondike river, canada, 1915 the yankee fork dredge near bonanza city, idaho, which operated into the 1950s.
And now there are three different entities fixing up the river so that it is running in its original location. In its heyday, the dredge was considered very efficient and was powered by two 7cylinder diesel engines that produced the electricity to operate the dredge. It is located in the heart of beautiful yankee fork country in stanley, idaho. Idaho was the nations fourthleading producer of dredged gold after 1910 and therefore provides an excellent lens through which to observe. Aug 30, 2016 this video is from a recent visit we made to the yankee fork gold dredge outside stanley, idaho. This video is from a recent visit we made to the yankee fork gold dredge outside stanley, idaho. The yankee fork gold dredge remains the largest selfpowered dredge ever to operate in idaho. Oct 10, 2008 the word behemoth is insufficient to describe the giant yankee fork gold dredge. Like many districts the yankee fork district was worked right up until world war ii.
Representatives of a multidisciplinary team working to rebuild spring chinook salmon and steelhead runs in the yankee fork of the salmon river reported on their progress repairing the damage done by decades of dredge mining. A look into the history of the yankee fork dredge stanley news. Gold dredges are an important tool of gold miners around the world. The authors story is first hand, interesting and genuine. One place in particular is the yankee fork gold dredge, about 20 miles north of stanley past the sunbeam village. The yankee fork gold dredge operated into the 1950s, near custer. The history of stanley, idaho is one of patience, bravery, cold winters, and most of all, gold.
Also of interest are the ghost towns of bonanza and custer, the yankee fork gold dredge, the custer motorway and the challis bison jump. It is close to the historical yankee fork gold dredge, bonanza, custer mining town, and the salmon river. This book, clearly the product of years of painstaking research, offers a treasure trove of information about the gem states fascinating, but now largely forgotten, history of gold dredge mining. Even though the concept is simple in principle, dredges can be engineered in different ways allowing to catch different sizes of gold specimen. Visiting the yankee fork gold dredge early idaho history duration. When we first visited the area in the 1970s, it was a closed relic. The yankee fork gold dredge association inc guidestar profile. The dredge and tailings represent an important chapter in idahos history, a period of time that changed the natural characteristics of the river. Sep 01, 2016 a trip to the land of the yankee fork, the historic mining region nestled between stanley and challis, is unforgettable. Built in 1940 by the bucyruserie company, the dredge ran for 12 years before being buried and abandoned in its current location. Promoting your link also lets your audience know that you are featured on a rapidly growing travel site. Almost every summer and winter activity you can think of is available on the yankee fork.
At the interpretive center in challis there are museum exhibits, a gold panning station, audiovisual programs, and friendly personnel to provide information on local mining history and area attractions. The huge gold dredge is actually a threestory barge in the middle of the wilderness. A gold dredge is a placer mining machine that extracts gold from sand, gravel, and. While in the area, be sure to visit the nearby gold mining ghost towns of bonanza city and. Land of yankee fork has several interesting historical sites including the challis bison kill site, the ghost towns of custer, bayhorse and bonanza and the yankee fork gold dredge. Reclamation does its part to preserve history at the yankee. Yankee fork gold dredge stanley 2020 all you need to know. Yankee fork gold dredge mined gold 1940 through 1952 in 1966 was given to the usfs 1980 the yankee fork gold dredge association was. Yankee fork gold dredge museum finder, guide, radio, tech. Yankee fork gold mining idahos best preserved dredge. The yankee fork dredge is probably the bestpreserved machine of its kind in the lower 48. The columbia river was brown from all the sediment it churned up.
A gold dredge is a placer mining machine that extracts gold from sand, gravel, and dirt using water and mechanical methods the original gold dredges were large, multistory machines built in the first half of the 1900s. The gold classifier of the yankee fork dredge may be for small gold. They allow profitable mining at relatively low operational costs. Turn of off highway 75 at sunbeam on the route between stanley and challis and follow the gravel road nine miles. A trip to the land of the yankee fork, the historic mining region nestled between stanley and challis, is unforgettable. It is sure to be a muchvalued resource for mining, western, and idaho historians, and history buffs, for many years to come. Dec 03, 2010 the yankee fork gold dredge is one of the mining attractions along idahos yankee fork river, between bonanza city and custer. The yankee fork gold dredge in idaho is truly one of a kind. A gold dredge is a placer mining machine that extracts gold from sand, gravel. The council got a history lesson at its september meeting in eagle, idaho. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book. Land of the yankee fork state park is a historyoriented public recreation area covering 521 acres 211 ha in custer county, idaho, united states. But it may also limit access for migrating salmon to. The yankee fork gold dredge is located in the central mountains of idaho on the yankee fork tributary of the salmon river.
The yankee fork gold dredge is one of the best preserved and presented dredges in. Billy reed, a volunteer with the yankee fork gold dredge association, said the dredge brought 35 temporary jobs to the area during the fivemonth period when the dredge was constructed. This article needs additional citations for verification. In his classic book, gold camps and silver cities, merle wells picks up the story. Leave time to stop at the yankee fork gold dredge on the way. May 07, 2012 while in idaho, visit a gold dredge machine at the yankee fork. Visit yankee fork gold dredge on your trip to stanley or. Forged from a partnership between a university press and a library, project muse is a trusted part of the academic and scholarly community it. It is a grayish monster languishing in its final resting place, a mechanical dinosaur idling in a perpetual pond, now serving only as a fascinating curiosity for tourists. Simplot in 1966, and in 1980 the yankee fork gold dredge association began providing guided tours to the public. Currently located at her final resting place, just north of fairbanks, dredge no. The yankee fork gold dredge is one of the mining attractions along idahos yankee fork river, between bonanza city and custer. Today, it has been restored to the point that tours are available for those who are interested. Jimmy emerson, dvmflickr in 1940, the dredge was built by milwaukeebased bucyrus erie, with every ounce of material hauled crosscountry to mackay.
A special cooperative project between the idaho humanities. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. However, in 1979, the yankee fork gold dredge association was formed by. Travel through history in the land of the yankee fork visit. Balancing act the yankee fork of the salmon river video. Endangered salmon face insurmountable journey back to idahos. It was powered by two 350 horse ingersollrand, 7 cylinder diesel engines, burning 400 to 500 gallons of fuel a day. Try searching on jstor for other items related to this book.
Jan, 2017 but one behemoth piece of history has been capturing visitors attention for decades. Project muse promotes the creation and dissemination of essential humanities and social science resources through collaboration with libraries, publishers, and scholars worldwide. There is a small gift shop aboard the dredge to help keep it open to the public. A history of gold dredging in idahotells the story of a revolution in placer mining and its. The yankee fork gold dredge is open memorial day 10am to 4. This is a great way for travelers looking for a great vacation in your city or country to also experience yankee fork gold dredge. But it may also limit access for migrating salmon to the rivers pristine upper reaches. Land of the yankee fork state park is a history oriented public recreation area covering 521 acres 211 ha in custer county, idaho, united states.
The word behemoth is insufficient to describe the giant yankee fork gold dredge. Hop in the car for a daylong journey to explore stage stops along an old toll road, mining ghost towns, and a 988ton dredge. Billy reed, a volunteer with the yankee fork gold dredge association, said the dredge brought 35 temporary jobs to the area during the fivemonth period when the. While in idaho, visit a gold dredge machine at the yankee fork. Yankee fork mining district yankee fork, id dredge. Yankee fork road bonanza, custer page 2 legends of america. Yankee fork mining district yankee fork, id gold dredge. My interest is north in the fairbanks alaska goldstream creek near fox where the old gold dredge no. This impressive piece of mining history is under the ownership of the united states forest service. Sunbeam, id yankee fork gold dredge roadside america. Much farther east and north of the stanley basin and the yankee fork, before the salmon. But one behemoth piece of history has been capturing visitors attention for decades. The yankee fork gold dredge is one of the best preserved and presented dredges in the lower 48 states.
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