Kennedy Mine

Useful Information

Location:	Jackson, California
Open:	MAR to OCT Sat, Sun, Hol . [2009]
Fee:	Adults USD 9, Children (6-12) USD 5, Children (0-5) free. [2009]
Classification:	Gold Mine
Light:	n/a.
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Historic Kennedy Gold Mine Surface Tours, Tel: +1-209-223-9542. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1850s	gold discovered.
1860	Kennedy Mining Company formed.
1878	mine closed.
1886	Kennedy Mining and Milling Company founded, mine reopened.
1898	new east shaft sunk.
1914	Kennedy Tailing Wheels built.
1942	mine closed.
1961	purchased by Sybil Arata.
07-JUL-1981	added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

Geology

Description

Kennedy Mine is one of the deepest mines of the World. Andrew Kennedy was an Irish immigrant, who reportedly discovered a quartz outcropping in the late 1850s. The Kennedy Mining Company was formed by him and three in 1860 to start gold mining. The first shafts were dug close to today’s mine property entrance. However, it seem there was no overwhelming success, so after working sporadically the mine closed in 1878.

The second attempt was successful, the Kennedy Mining and Milling Company was founded in 1886 by fifteen people who invested about USD 100,000. During the mining operations they sank a new shaft called east shaft in 1898, which reached a vertical depth of 1,792 m. The mine was operated successfully until the U.S. Government closed gold mines because of the war effort in 1942. The investors refused from reopeneing the mine three years later, as the mine was now filled with water. When the mine was closed the pumps were shut off, the ground water accumulating in the tunnels not only would cause great costs to be pumped out out but also may have damaged the mine itself.

The mine was finally purchased by Sybil Arata, a ceramics teacher, in 1961. She bought it on a liquidation sale for USD 41.000 and liven in a house on the ground for many years. When she died in 1994 her last will contained two wishes: the property should remain open as a wildlife habitat and the buildings should be maintained because of their historical value. The Kennedy Mine Foundation was founded in 1996 to fulfill those wishes.

The Kennedy mine is a surface tour. There are self guided tours for individuals, and guided tours for groups and school classes after appointments. The site is operated by the non-profit Kennedy Mine Foundation.