Continued from the previous page. This page has additional photos from Independence Mine + some captions.

Independence Mine operated from 1936 to 1943.
The property was acquired by the state of Alaska in 1980.

"The Big House," former home of mine manager Walter W. Stoll, is now the park's visitor center.

Overview of the two bunkhouses and other smaller buildings on the lower level of the mine;
each bunkhouse housed 50-54 men who worked in the mine year-round.

Front of Bunkhouse #2; the bunkhouses had the best accommodations of all 38 mines in this district.
In addition to furnished bedrooms and bathrooms, the miners had water, electricity, heat,
recreation facilities, a movie projection room, a library, and other amenities.

Timbers for supporting the underground workings were cut and fitted here, as were
heavy timbers needed for camp buildings and other construction projects.

Engineering office and warehouse:  engineers mapped and diligently followed the
underground workings. The information they gathered helped helped them follow 
the gold veins and determined where the miners would drill and blast next.

Mine office and commissary:  "Banking, buying, bunking, and bull" were carried out in this busy
activity center at the mine -- general mine operations, purchasing, shipping, receiving, payroll, postal
services, etc. The commissary was a country store that served miners from the entire mining district.

Apartment house with living quarters for four married supervisors and their families, such as
the mill, shop, and mine foremen. Each unit was furnished and had a modern kitchen and bathroom.

"New" cookhouse and mess hall constructed after the original outgrew its space; it had a fully
equipped kitchen, bakery, butcher shop, refrigerated cold storage, dry storage rooms, dishwashing
machine, dining room to seat up to 160 men, cook's apartment, living quarters for the kitchen
staff, and two comfortable apartments for supervisors. Huge meals were served family-style.

 

A different perspective of the general manager's house/visitor center

One of the diesel engines from the powerhouse

This interpretive panel and another one face the crumbling mill complex, which was too far gone for
restoration when the state purchased the property in 1980. This sign has exterior and interior shots of  
the buildings used in the process of extraction, ore-sorting and crushing, amalgamation, and flotation.

Another large sign overlooking the old mill complex describes what can be seen on the
mountainsides. Skyscraper Peak (L) is where Robert Hatcher first found gold in the Willow Creek
District in 1906. There are remnants of the Martin Mine, an aerial tram, and a mine portal for
Independence Mine.  In the center is a "rock glacier." Granite Mountain is to the right.

Above and below:  closer view of dilapidated shops, powerhouse,
and other buildings in the mill complex

 

Former pipe, sheet metal, and electric shops in the mill complex

Above and below:  the large powerhouse wing had several diesel generators and air compressors to
power the massive mine operation. No other electric power was available in this remote area of Alaska.

 

Above and below: interior of the assay office. Gold often is not visible in the rock. Ore samples from the  
and mill were chemically tested here and analyzed for the quantity and quality of gold they contained.

The gold was separated from mercury by heating the amalgam to 675 F. degrees in a 
retorting furnace. The mercury was vaporized, condensed, and reused. What remained was
a crude bullion called "gold sponge" that was shipped to Seattle for refinement.

Looking down on the mostly-intact mining camp from the second level

Looking down on the dilapidated mill complex from the second level

Above and below:  fallen buildings along the rail track on the second level

 

Interesting view of ruined track above the mill complex, overlooking the standing buildings below

If you like mining history, all this is more intriguing in person.

Another popular old mine to visit in Alaska is the Kennecott Copper Mill in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. It is difficult to access, however, so we haven't gone to see it.

Next entry:   Rain isn’t predicted for tonight or tomorrow so Jim plans to ride his bike to the Arctic Thunder air show and I plan to take Cody hiking in the Chugach Mountains again.

Happy trails,

Sue
"Runtrails & Company" - Sue Norwood, Jim O'Neil, and Cody the ultra Lab

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© 2012 Sue Norwood and Jim O'Neil