Barber Gulch Placer Mining
Legacy Serial No. MTMMC 221585
MLRS Serial Number 101881902
SE 1/4 Section 25, T16N, R28 W, and SW ¼ of PB67, T16N, R27W
Mineral County, Montana
160 Acres - Non- Patented
Non-Patented
Sale Price $136,000.00
The Barber Gulch Claim is located approximately 25 miles from Superior, Montana in a pristine, wilderness environment. Majestic beauty, abundant wildlife, fantastic fishing and great gold; what more could one ask for?
Mineral County is located in the vast "big sky country" of Montana. The crest of the Bitterroot Mountains divides Montana from Idaho and serves as the county’s western boundary. The topography varies from remote, high alpine lakes to whitewater streams and from heavily forested ridges to smooth rolling meadows.
A huge open meadow with lots of shady camping spots makes this an ideal location for a base camp for all your Montana summer activities. Many trails wander up and down the creek; there are also endless miles of backcountry roads that make this claim an ATV wonderland.
In addition to the exciting outdoor adventure of gold mining, the Bitterroot Mountains of Mineral County provide many opportunities for fishing, hunting, hiking, camping and photography. Within Mineral County there are 87 miles of river, 650 miles of streams, and over 50 high mountain lakes. In addition, there are over 400 miles of hiking trails and more than 1,000 miles of off-highway roads.
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality reports, " The district, known primarily for its placer deposits, encompasses Cedar, Quartz and Trout Creeks, rising near the crest of the northward extension of the Bitterroot Mountain range. The creeks flow northeastward to enter the Clark Fork River above Superior (Sahinen 1935).
The placers were first claimed in 1869 by French Canadian Louis A. Barrette, and have seen continuous production since then. By 1935 the district had yielded at least $2,000,000 in gold and perhaps as much as $10,000,000. Annual output between 1869 and 1935 ranges from $1,000 to $50,000, with recovery primarily through sluicing and hydraulicking. A connected-bucket dredge was reported to have operated in 1912, and some shaft, drift and limited lode mining has been done. The gold was transported from Superior, a station on the Northern Pacific and the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroads (Rowe 1911; Sahinen 1935).
The gold recovered from the placers was considered to be exceptionally rich, ranging from $19.75 to $20.45 with a standard price of $20.67 per ounce. In 1875 it was reported that the various drifts were yielding as high as $300 to a set of timber, and that about $50,000 in gold was recovered each year from 1871 to 1873. The fineness was reported as ranging from .950 to .982 (Sahinen 1935; Lyden 1948).
Each of the creeks has several notable tributaries for which some information is available.
Oregon Gulch and Snowshoe Gulch have both been significant producers along Cedar Creek. In 1875, one company on Snowshoe Gulch grossed $9,200 in 10 weeks with nine men. The net profit for the owners was $4,600, with an additional two to three thousand dollars stolen from the sluices. Windfall Creek, a tributary of Trout Creek, is considered to be the largest producer of placer gold in the district. The "Miller Ground" claim on Windfall Creek was reported to have yielded gold valued at $150,000 by 1919. Tucker Gulch is an important tributary of Quartz Creek, although production along Quartz Creek probably did not exceed $100,000 (Lyden 1948).
The initial rush on Cedar Creek, especially on Oregon Gulch was so great that a hundred miners staked out 200 claims within six months of the initial discoveries in 1869. Mining camps arose and were abandoned quickly as the focus of placering shifted around the district. The population of the district rose upwards of 10,000 by some estimates. In 1870, Forest City, on Cedar Creek itself, reached a population of 7,000 and was a wholesale commercial center for many towns in the area including Missoula. The success of the district prompted publication for three years of "The Missoula and Cedar Creek Pioneer" newspaper. The paper was then moved to Missoula and its name changed to the Missoulian (Smith 1899; Rowe 1911b; Lyden 1948; Wolle 1963).
The gold is recovered from stream and bench gravels located along the three creeks and their tributaries. The gold originates from veins associated with igneous dykes crosscutting the northward extension of the Bitterroots. Chalcopyrite is the principal ore material, and also carries copper and silver in small amounts (Sahinen 1935).
Disclaimer: This locality information is for reference purposes only. Please do not attempt to visit any sites listed without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.
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