Elk City Mines

Location: At the end of State Highway 14 east of Grangeville

History: In 1851, 52 prospectors from Pierce City explored up the South Fork of the Clearwater River and found some color at the American River. This exploration violated federal law and an agreement with the Nez Perce prohibiting the exploration further into the Nez Perce’s land. Nevertheless, by the end of July, Elk City was founded and news of the strike drew more miners from Pierce. By the end of August 800 miners worked the streams and slopes. Resources, especially water, dwindled. In October, stories of a strike at Florence lured all but 75 of the Elk City miners away.

Placer mining was the dominant mining method in the early years, and yielded the largest gold production in the Elk City Area. The first lode discoveries occurred in 1870. This was the start of underground mining.

Interesting Facts: When mine production was too low to interest white miners, Chinese miners leased the ditches and worked the claims from 1872-1884. At one point there were about 1500 Orientals and only a dozen Caucasians at the Elk City placers. A judge ruled aliens could not hold mining grounds, and a Chinese exodus began in 1889.

Horse powered drilling rigs were used toward the end of the century, and gold ore was brought to the surface from the shaft by a hand-operated windlass. Rawhiding was a technique used for transporting supplies into the high snow country. One horse wearing snowshoes would pull a sleigh made of rawhide on which the supplies were lashed.

Quartz lode operations began in 1902, and total production for the area may have reached $5 million. The dredging era began in 1935, recovering almost a million dollars.

Elk City is one of the principal areas for placer mining. Great banks of gravel 75 to 100 feet high stand up as steep exposures.

Today, mining tunnels still open are considered hazards.

Statistics: In 1861, the gold recovered in the Elk City mines was valued at $16.28/ounce, the richest found in early Northern Idaho mines. The earnings of miners from 1865-1869 was very low, only $3.50/day. Two of the biggest mines in the area are the Buster Mine (ore estimated at $95/ton) and the American Eagle Mine (ore estimated at $45/ton).