The Tumco ghost town
The Tumco ghost town, a gold mine town
This area is rich in gold mining history. There are several small ghost towns, and old mine shafts all around us. One very interesting place is the ghost town of Tumco. It was also known as Hedges. The town really started booming in the late 1800’s. Gold had been discovered in the mountains and with the railroad coming through here in 1877, more people came to claim there share of the gold in the hills. The town at one point had 500 people living there, which is amazing when you see how small the town area really is. This is what remains of the hospital that was here.
This is part of where the town was. Those giant metal tanks held cyanide used to get the gold from the stone.
There was a flood several years after the town died out, but the ground still looks like it just happened.
Apparently the town was full of characters of all kinds during it’s heyday. The day we went was 80, and felt hot. To be here in the summer when it’s 120, you would have to be some special kind of character.
There are foundations here and there, that show where buildings used to be.
This is the cemetery. There was another just like this, not too far away. It must have been so very dangerous.
This is two of the mine shafts we saw. There were also some very deep ones that went straight down. These mines produced 200,000 ounces of gold back in the day. That, is a lot!
Probably the most interesting thing was all the antique garbage everywhere. They must have lived on canned food, and stuff in bottles. There are several big piles of tin cans, and broken glass bottles everywhere. There would have been no way to keep food fresh I’m sure.
We did find this buried cow skull. What it was doing out here, and how it lived is beyond me. Probably, it was just brought in and slaughtered for meat.
The town needed water for the people, and to process the gold. A wood pipeline that was 12 miles long brought water from the colorado river. That is honestly amazing if you think about it.
There is still mining going on in the area. Now, they just haul out giant truck loads of dirt to be processed for the gold. Every time we go walking though, everyone is on the look out for that one gold nugget.
SO interesting!
That is just so interesting and a little eerie. Amazing to think about how they survived. Fascinating. Have a marvellous Monday.
Best wishes Molly
Very interesting history lesson. We modern day humans sure have gotten soft! I can’t imagine surviving in all that dry, dirty heat! Not to mention going deep into those mines!
Also very interesting that they still mine for gold!
you’ve already struck it rich; but maybe you will find some gold and be wealthy. Did you bring a metal detector?
Oh my goodness! It must be so amazing to he able to explore these places!! So beautiful! Nadnthat cemetery…..wow….
Hope u had a great weekend!
((Husky hugz frum da pack))
Wow, interesting. Never heard of that spot. Can’t imagine surviving there in the summers back in the days before a/c! And no fresh food. Ugh!
Wow. These types of history really fascinate me, not to mention the intrigue of the old west. It’s pretty cool that you get to experience that first hand.
I had thought more of the buildings would have been made of wood, but I imagine there weren’t a lot of trees around there, huh? So to be frugal they would have had to use what was available, but somehow I just never thought of hospitals in the 1800’s.
Thanks so much for sharing this!
How interesting! Have you ever thought of using one of those metal detectors? You could find some fun stuff I bet! We are looking forward to our road trip to Vegas in May so we can see some new country for a change. Love Dolly
Sounds like an interesting visit. Loved that comment about special characters. Can you imagine living in 120 degree weather before there was air conditioning? Yikes! That’s more than enough to fry the brain.
How fun! I love historical places, and exploring, as well.
Fascinating hike. I love that kind of history.
Where we live in New Jersey, nearly every place we go, you can say George Washington was here. One of his encampments is walking distance from my house.
–Woofs (and purrs) from Life with Dogs and Cats.
Pretty cool find! Mom was in a ghost down in AZ years ago, but she doesn’t remember the name of it.
So cool!
Nola
What a fascinating place. Love the pictures. Michigan has many such ghost towns. Most in the Upper Peninsula that were old mining towns or having to do with mining. One is now a state park and we have visited often. It is interesting to see how the people lived when those towns were in their heyday.
Very cool! Well, actually very hot in the summer! It is incredible to know what people went through to live not so long ago…
We visited several ghost towns when I was younger and I’ve always found them fascinating. It’s so cool to imagine how people lived at that time, and also makes you glad for some of the things you have.
My favorite part….antique garbage!! Love that!! :) What a cool place to visit!! You have no idea how much I miss being on the road…and the way the stock market has been going…it remains to be seen if we will actually be able to go this year. REALLY hoping we still can!! Happy Travels to you!!
Did you find the nugget guys? That sure is an interesting area, amazing what people accomplished without all the technology we have now!
I hope you’re having a fun day,
Your pal Snoopy :)
How interesting. And great pics too.
Very cool photos – looks like an awesome (but hot) place to tour!
That graveyard is really neat!
Woah, that is so cool! I’ve never been to the desert or visited a ghost town, glad you took such amazing pics so I could feel like I was there :)