Up in the Blue Mountains a few miles west of Baker City is one of Oregon's most famous mining towns. You know how the Christmas carol goes: ♪ Dashing through the snow On a one-horse open sleigh ♪ Well, few of us actually ever get that opportunity.īut you can go dashing through the snow on the Sumpter Valley Railway. Then, there is a mill in Oregon where things have been running pretty much the same way for over 130 years.īut first, how about a little fun aboard the Sumpter Valley Railroad? ED JAHN: Next, on Oregon Field Guide: We explore the wintry mountains of the North Cascades, looking for a reclusive predator, the wolverine. Plenty of trails are woven throughout the park for guests to learn of Oregon's mining history and enjoy Elkhorn Mountain scenery and wildlife.Major support for Oregon Field Guide is provided by. ![]() ![]() Despite leaving an unsightly ridge of tailings that stretches out for miles, gold dredging is part of eastern Oregon's heritage and gold mining history. During its 20 years of service, the giant bucket brigade dug up more than 4 million dollars (over 160 million at today’s prices) of gold. Viewed as an important historic monument, the 75 year old dredge enjoys a rich history. Oregon’s Parks and Recreation added the Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area to its inventory of parks in 1994. Powered by electricity, the conveyor utilizes 65 to 72 one ton buckets, moving 100 acres of earth every year. Although, twice as much gold was mined by the miner's pick, the Powder River Gold Dredging Company designed and built three gargantuan gold dredges. Here in Sumpter, gold was first discovered in 1862, setting the tone of employment for the next century. Built in the early 1900s, the Sumpter Valley Dredge Company chewed up huge sections of eastern Oregon real estate. ![]() Appearing much like a Rube Goldberg machine from the early 20th century, this 1250 ton behemoth was used to uncover gold in Sumpter Valley.
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