The history of Arizona is intrinsically linked to the relentless spirit of its Arizona miners and mining. Often serving as the vanguard of civilization, these intrepid individuals braved hostile landscapes, extreme climates, and formidable challenges to uncover the riches hidden beneath the desert soil. From the earliest Spanish expeditions driven by the lure of gold to the tenacious Anglo-Saxon settlers, mining in Arizona laid the very foundation for the state’s development, transforming wilderness into thriving communities.
The Roots of Arizona’s Mineral Wealth
Centuries ago, the pursuit of golden dreams fueled the weary marches of Spanish explorers across America, and Arizona was no exception. Francisco Vazquez de Coronado’s legendary quest for the gold of the Seven Cities of Cibola, though ultimately unfulfilled in its original aim, marked the beginning of European mineral interest in the region. While the Spaniards did not find Cibola’s gold, they discovered other lucrative deposits, yielding immense revenues for the Spanish Crown for centuries from mines now encompassed within Southern Arizona. Their operations primarily focused on the valleys of Pimería Alta, often among more peaceable Indian tribes.
With the arrival of Anglo-Saxons, the scope of exploration expanded dramatically. No valley in Northern or Eastern Arizona was without its harrowing tales of prospectors ambushed by the Apache. Yet, with each challenge, the Apache were gradually driven back, and the prospector and miner paved the way. Following in their footsteps came the trader, the cattle rancher, the farmer, and the home seeker, collectively forging a civilization for Arizona that, though founded upon mining, became as robust and modern as much older commonwealths. While mining is no longer the sole industry, it retains its pivotal role. The wealth extracted from the ground represents new capital, directly adding to the money in circulation and creating permanent assets for the benefit of mankind. Importantly, Arizona mining has long transcended mere “luck”; success in this demanding field is largely attributed to shrewd judgment and experience.
The Shifting Fortunes of Silver
Despite years of popular affection for the 16-to-1 silver theory, the demonetization of silver had a surprisingly limited effect on Arizona’s mining landscape. The reality was that most silver mines within the territory had already ceased operations before silver prices plummeted below a dollar an ounce. Esteemed mines such as those at McCracken, Tombstone, Silver King, Richmond Basin, Mack Morris, and in the Bradshaw Mountains had all been closed. Consequently, exploration for new silver deposits largely dwindled, with minimal activity observed outside of Mohave County.
Life as a Frontier Prospector
The archetype of the professional prospector in the American Southwest is largely a relic of the past. These hardy individuals often depended on a “grubstake” – provisions and supplies furnished by a speculative group in a nearby town, typically a country storekeeper, saloonkeeper, or gambler. A distinctive unwritten law governed these co-partnerships: the individual providing the grubstake was entitled to a half-interest in any claim the prospector successfully located while subsisting on these provisions. Such agreements were rarely violated, a testament to the prospector’s unwavering faith and honor. This system, prevalent in Nevada and California, proved to be the source of many fortunes for urban financiers.
The prospector’s outfit reflected his simple, self-reliant lifestyle. A trusty burro was an indispensable companion, often possessing years of experience in the prospecting game and rarely straying from even the most transient camps. Numerous colorful tales speak of these prospecting burros of old, known for their fondness for bacon rinds and their readiness to abandon natural forage for a share of baking powder biscuits. The prospector himself was a man of boundless faith and unyielding hope, essentially a gambler of the most pronounced type. Every hill promised the chance of a bonanza, every rocky point warranted an investigative tap from his hammer, and every iron-stained dike demanded a sample in his gold pan.
The Evolution of Mining Philosophy
Many early prospectors were overly optimistic, burdening themselves and their backers with numerous claims that often proved worthless. It was not uncommon for a prospector to boast of holding a hundred claims, an endeavor that, under mining law, would necessitate an annual expenditure of $10,000 for assessment work – far exceeding the actual value of the ground. These individuals were often searching for sudden riches, failing to grasp the more pragmatic philosophy that would emerge from hard-won experience. Latter-day miners came to understand that mining, at its core, is a manufacturing industry. The greatest profits were not found in ephemeral pockets of high-grade silver and gold, but rather in the consistent margin of income over expense achieved by processing large quantities of relatively uniform ore, often through mechanized and highly economical methods.
The prospector’s life, though rough, was not necessarily laborious. He drifted through the hills, his journeys limited only by his provisions. Sleeping under the open sky, regardless of weather, his diet was simple: bacon, black coffee, and sourdough or baking powder bread, with tobacco being an essential part of his rations. Upon returning and recording his finds, the professional prospector rarely stayed to work the mines he discovered. If a find proved promising, he would often sell his interest for some modest sum, which was frequently spent quickly before he returned to the hills with his faithful burro, embracing a life he cherished above all others.
A distinct contrast existed in the figure of the occasional miner-prospector. This individual, often out of work or simply seeking a respite from the underground darkness, embarked on prospecting trips as a communion with nature. Such a man typically funded his own expeditions and tenaciously held onto any valuable discovery he made. While not necessarily of a “higher type” than the professional prospector, he was often more substantial, with hundreds of instances leading to such individuals becoming mine-owning capitalists and respected leaders within their communities.
Unwavering Determination in the Face of Adversity
Mohave County, Arizona, is home to numerous stories of extraordinary courage from its pioneer days, none more compelling than that of Henry Ewing, a blind miner. In 1904, after losing his eyesight, Ewing defied the warnings of friends and returned to his Nixie Mine near Vivian, close to the present-day camp of Oatman. Unaided, he rigged leading wires for safety, set up a windlass over his 20-foot shaft, and proceeded to blast, dig, and haul ore buckets to the surface. He managed his camp life independently, overcoming challenges such as a dangerous encounter with a rattlesnake and a serious fall from a ladder, from which he miraculously climbed out to seek help.
Ewing’s remarkable resilience was echoed by other solitary Arizona miners. In the Hualpai Mountains, Frank Hamilton single-handedly sunk two shafts, 100 and 50 feet deep, starting in 1874. A historical memorandum from the same district details J.L. Doyle’s achievement of sinking two 65-foot shafts and connecting them with a drift, all on his own. Enoch Kile, a miner in Yavapai County, also single-handedly sunk a 75-foot shaft. These accounts represent just a fraction of the many instances of extraordinary individual pluck and determination that characterized early mining in Arizona.
Conclusion: The Enduring Legacy of Arizona Mining
The legacy of Arizona miners and mining is one of profound impact and unwavering resilience. From the speculative quests of Spanish conquistadors to the pragmatic enterprises of industrial mining, the pursuit of mineral wealth has consistently shaped the economic and social fabric of the state. The tenacious prospectors, with their simple burros and boundless optimism, laid the groundwork for future development, even as the industry evolved from a search for sudden riches to a sophisticated manufacturing process. The inspiring tales of individuals like Henry Ewing underscore the remarkable human spirit that defined this era. Today, while diversified, mining remains a cornerstone of Arizona’s prosperity, a testament to the brave men and women whose grit and vision built a commonwealth from the ground up.
