When John Searles was prospecting for gold in the Slate Range, he would mark his claims by pecking his initials into a rock at the site. At this claim he had a partner, Willet Dunn. The date clearly proves that John Searles was living and mining in the Slate Range in 1862. A similarly marked claim near the Gold Bottom mine has a date of October 1862.
	When American Trona Corporation first produced potash, men would shovel the finished product into these wheelbarrels and take the product to railroad box cars where it was loaded for shipment.

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Searles Valley Historical Society
P. O. Box 630
13193 Main Street
Trona, CA 93592-0630
Phone (760) 372-5222    e-mail 

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This web site was assembled and is maintained by Jim Fairchild. Current as of 11/30/2007