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Guide to the Empire Mine State Historic Park Collection
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Description
The Empire Mine State Historic Park Collection contains correspondence, financial and administrative material, mining records,
employee records, and vendor material from the Empire Mine located in Grass Valley, California, and from other mines located
throughout Nevada County, California. Mines and mining corporations documented in this collection include Empire Mine, North
Star Mine, Empire Star Mines Company, Ltd., Newmont Mining Corporation, Champion Mine, Gaston Ridge Mine, Golden Center Mine,
Lava Cap Gold Mine, Pennsylvania Mine, Twin River Consolidated Mining Company, Yuba Drift Mining Company, and Zeibright Mine.
Also included in this collection are personal papers of William Bourn, Jr., Phil Keast, Fred W. Nobs, George W. Starr, and
Robert H. Svendsen. These individuals were either owners or employees of one or more of the above listed mines and mining
corporations. The records in this collection cover the years 1866 to 1985 with the bulk of the material ranging from 1900
to 1960.
Background
Grass Valley was once the richest gold mining district in California. The largest and most productive mining operations in
the region were the Empire, North Star, and Idaho-Maryland mines. From 1900-1925 the Empire Mine, under the direction of George
W. Starr, and the North Star Mine, under the direction of James D. Hague and A. D. Foote, produced most of the gold in all
of Nevada County, California. George W. Starr wrote in a 1900 edition of Mining and Science Press, "In the history of gold
mining in California the Empire stands preeminent, not alone for its wealth but for what the mine, above all others, has given
in the way of example and earnest, well-applied endeavor. It is the pioneer in deep mining and the first to regard Grass Valley
mining a legitimate business, controlled by the same laws and conditions as should govern a well-managed manufacturing establishment."
Extent
79 cubic feet
Restrictions
Property rights reside with the California Department of Parks and Recreation. Literary rights
are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permission to reproduce or publish,
please contact the California State Parks Archives.
Availability
The collection is open for research. Empire Star Mines Company, Ltd., employee records located in Box 9, Folders 23-24, 32,
and 42 through Box 10, Folder 4 are permanently restricted.