Gem-O-Rama Searles Lake

Searles Valley Historical Society
OLD GUEST HOUSE MUSEUM
GOLD MINING IN SEARLES VALLEY

This room contains artifacts that were recovered from some of the abandoned gold mines in Searles Valley.

This picture shows some old acetylene miners lamps, a kerosene lantern, a gold pan, assay crucibles and an old trunk. The acetylene miners lamps had a lower chamber filled with calcium carbide and an upper chamber containing water. When water was dripped onto the calcium carbide, they reacted to make the acetylene gas that would burn in the air with a luminous flame.

This is a dry washer used to separate heavy minerals, hopefully gold, from lighter sand and gravels. It was likely home made. It was hand operated and could be used just about anywhere.

This hand made sign dates to around 1870-1880. It was made from an old style tin can that had been opened and flattened. The letters were punched in the tin to make the sign. The sign identified Wood Canyon in the Argus Range. Wood from this canyon was made into charcoal that was packed by mules to the mines at Lookout City.

A miners dinner table and eating utensils were simple, as was his food. This shows how they typically looked.

Bruce Canyon in the Argus Range has a spring that has a good flow of water. Early miners hand made a water wheel from tin cans to use this water to power their mill. This shows the only remains of that water wheel.

Return to Museum Site Map

Searles Valley Historical Society
P. O. Box 966
Trona, CA 93592-0966
Phone (760) 372-5356

e-mail

| Home | Revised 04/25/2004

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	This picture shows some old acetylene miners lamps, a kerosene lantern, a gold pan, assay crucibles and an old trunk. The acetylene miners lamps had a lower chamber filled with calcium carbide and an upper chamber containing water. When water was dripped onto the calcium carbide, they reacted to make the acetylene gas that would burn in the air with a luminous flame.
	This is a dry washer used to separate heavy minerals, hopefully gold, from lighter sand and gravels. It was likely home made. It was hand operated and could be used just about anywhere.
	This hand made sign dates to around 1870-1880. It was made from an old style tin can that had been opened and flattened. The letters were punched in the tin to make the sign. The sign identified Wood Canyon in the Argus Range. Wood from this canyon was made into charcoal that was packed by mules to the mines at Lookout City.
	A miners dinner table and eating utensils were simple, as was his food. This shows how they typically looked.
	Bruce Canyon in the Argus Range has a spring that has a good flow of water. Early miners hand made a water wheel from tin cans to use this water to power their mill. This shows the only remains of that water wheel.