Desert Queen Mine

The Desert Queen Mine in the Colorado Desert was one of the more long-lived gold mines of Southern California's high desert region. The abandoned mine is located in Riverside County, California within the boundaries of the Joshua Tree National Park and is included on the National Register of Historic Places. A hiking trail leads to the mine.[2]

Desert Queen Mine
Nearest cityTwentynine Palms, California
Coordinates34°1′26″N 116°4′9″W
Built1894
ArchitectMultiple
NRHP reference No.76000216
Added to NRHPJanuary 17, 1976[1]

The mine is associated with Jim McHaney, a local cattle rustler, and Bill Keys, a noted rancher. The mine facilities are largely ruinous. The mine was not spectacularly successful but was sufficiently productive to remain in operation for nearly seventy-five years.[3]

The mine itself consisted of several vertical and horizontal shafts, of which four vertical shafts, five inclined shafts, and ten horizontal adits remain. Tailings piles appear in several places, with quantities of machinery scattered about the site.[4]

The mine was established by a man named Frank L. James in the early 1890s. The rich ore initially found prompted local outlaw gang leader and cattle rustler Jim McHaney to take over the mine. McHaney sent two of his men, Charley Martin and a man named Myers, to demand the mine from James. James refused, and Martin shot and killed him with a gun borrowed from Myers, after forcing James to sign over the property. Martin was acquitted of murder charges on grounds of self-defense.[4] When the mine was first claimed by Jim McHaney, it was reported to be the Lost "Peg-Leg" mine[5] of prospector Thomas Long "Pegleg" Smith.

McHaney initially prospered but borrowed heavily to expand and fell behind on payments to the bank, ultimately losing the mine. The mine passed into the hands of William F. Keys around 1917, who operated the mine until 1961.[4]

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. "Desert Queen Mine Hike & Eagle Cliff Mine (2020)". HikingGuy.com. 2020-02-28. Retrieved 2020-02-28.
  3. "Desert Queen Mine Stone House Ruin". List of Classified Structures. National Park Service. 2008-11-17. Archived from the original on 2011-05-21. Retrieved 2008-11-17.
  4. Gordon Chappell (June 10, 1975). National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Desert Queen Mine (pdf). National Park Service.
  5. "Desert Queen believed to be old Peg Leg mine July 11 1895 LA Times - Newspapers.com". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2020-02-28.


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