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Laurel Rand Mines collection, 1935-1983
MANUSCRIPT 2409-2412
Collection Overview
Title:
Laurel Rand Mines collection, 1935-1983Creator/Contributor:
Nobles, Arthur W., 1896-1985Abstract:
This collection consists of records pertaining to mining claims collectively termed the Laurel Rand Mines, located near Laurel
Mountain in the El Paso Mining District of eastern Kern County. Claims associated with the site include: Omega, Clark, Alpha,
Junction, Meal Ticket, Adelaide, and London. The records date from 1935-1983 and were maintained by Arthur W. Nobles (1896-1985)
during the period he was associated with the site. The collection is divided into five series: Historical, Legal, Operations,
Photographs, and Maps and drawings .
HISTORICAL: Notes concerning past mining activities; Consultant Reports: Kedilan F. Hand (1921), F.W. Ball (1937), James L.
Gaddis (1948), Marion E. Price (1979). LEGAL: Summary of legal documents; Deeds to claims; Court documents -- 1943 claims
suit; Lease (unsigned), 1965; Location notices; Proofs of labor.
OPERATIONS: Correspondence, 1937-1980; Exploration plan; Assay reports, 1935-1956; Labor contract with Ed Comes, 1956 ; Receipts
1979, 1983; Notes 1935-1983; Notebooks; Address books. PHOTOGRAPHS: Mine activities; Family. MAPS AND DRAWINGS: Maps: area
and claims; Drawings: mine shafts and mineral ledges.
Date:
1935 (issued)Contents:
2409: Historical. Legal (through Location Notices). -- 2410: Legal: Proofs of labor. Operations. -- 2411: Photographs. --
2412: Maps and drawings.
Subject:
n-us-caLaurel Rand Mines (Kern County, Calif.) -- History
Nobles, Arthur W -- 1896-1985 -- Correspondence
Gold mines and mining -- California -- Kern County
Gold mines and mining -- California -- Kern County -- Photographs
Kern County (Calif.) -- History
Kern County (Calif.) -- Photographs
Note:
The Laurel Rand property in the El Paso Mining District of Kern County was first worked in the 1860s by a Mr. Yarlborough
but was soon abandoned due to Indian activity. John W. Searles worked it again in the 1870s and subsequently it was worked
on an intermittent basis by various miners and mining companies. In 1935, Arthur W. Nobles, a Los Angeles realtor, and a group
of associates obtained an interest in various Laurel Rand mining claims. Later, in 1943, Nobles brought suit and obtained
sole ownership.
Initially some exploration and rehabilitation of the site was accomplished with the intent of resuming mining activities.
But as Nobles had no success in finding a mining company to lease and work the site, the mines were never put back into production.
From the 1950s the Nobles family used the land primarily as a vacation retreat, doing the minimum amount of site work required
by law to maintain the claims. While there are a couple scattered notes as late as 1983, it appears no proofs of labor were
filed after 1979.
Laurel Rand Mines collection, 1935-1983
Unrestricted. Please credit California State Library.
Physical Description:
print
4 ms. boxes (ca. 460 items) : ill., maps, photoprints
Language:
English
Identifier:
MANUSCRIPT 2409-2412
Origin:
CaliforniaCopyright Note:
Unrestricted. Please credit California State Library.