Ghost Towns of Mariposa Co., CA-B

Ghost Town USA’s

Guide to the Ghost Towns, Mining Camps,

and Other Formerly Inhabited Places in

MARIPOSA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

Locations beginning with B

B & B MINE

One of several mines operating in the Saxton Creek area of the Whitlock Mining District. Actual location not determined.

BADGER MINE

AKA – Prescott Vein

Located at Hornitos, this hard rock gold mine operated in the 1850s and yielding about $80,000 in gold.

BAGBY elevation 1000’

AKA – Benton Mills

The gold mining and milling town of Benton Mills was located on the south side of the Merced River just east of the SH 49 bridge. Later it expanded to the north side of the river. The old town was flooded in 1967 by the waters of Lake McClure. Foundations and ruins are still visible in low-water years. PHOTOs! An excellent write-up about Bagby and this time period is on Carolyn Feroben’s Mariposa County (CA) Genealogy and Historical Research BAGBY web page.

BAGBY MINING DISTRICT

Centered around Benton Mills/Bagby on the Mother Lode gold belt, there were quite a number of mines located here. For more information and a listing of the mines, see the detailed listing for Bagby.

BALDWIN

GUDDE says in CGC that this old gold mining camp was shown on an 1851 map just west of Quartzburg.

BANDARITA

...SEE Coulterville

BANDARITA MINE

Discovered in 1856, this hard-rock gold mine is located about seven AIR miles north of the Mountain King Mine at the confluence of the North Fork of the Merced River with Gentry Gulch, about eight AIR miles east of Coulterville. It once had an eight-stamp mill and produced about $1.5 million in gold. It was in the Greeley Hill Mining District, which is part of the larger Kinsley Mining District.

BANDERETA

...SEE Coulterville

BANNER MINE

This c1883 gold mine was located in the Sweetwater Mining District, and was owned by Mr. GREEN and MARSH. Its actual location is not determined.

BARCROFT MINE

AKA – Enterprise Mine

This gold mine located in the Hornitos Mining District was active off and on between the early 1880s through 1940 or so. It was originally discovered and worked by R. W. BARCROFT. During the 1950s it was known as the Enterprise Mine. Exact location not determined.

BARRETT CITY

Another minor gold camp along the Merced River covered by Lake McClure. It was located about six miles north of Exchequer.

BARRETT MINE

A hard rock gold mine located directly on the Mother Lode vein system. Location not determined. May have been at or near Barrett City.

BEAR CREEK (#1)

AKA – Bear Gulch

This 1850s era gold-mining camp was located about 1.5 miles southeast of Briceburg, northeast of Mariposa. DeLorme shows the creek flowing from an area near Midpines to the Merced River at Briceburg, roughly parallel to SH 140. Exact location of this Bear Creek Mining Camp is not determined.

In 1855, Moses MOCK and a Mr. HUMPHREY built a sawmill here.

The Bear Creek School was once located here, and is shown on an old map near the junction of SH-140/Triangle Road near Mid Pines. It may not have been active at the same time as the mining camp.

For details on the below listed mines, follow the links to the appropriate alphabetic listing pages.

· KING SOLOMON MINE (#1)

· PIEDRA DE GOZA MINE

· ROMA MINE …SEE Piedra de Goza Mine

· SIERRA RICA MINE

…Also SEE Humphrey & Mock Sawmill

BEAR CREEK (#2)

In 1949, the James H HENRY dredge and dragline was operating along

Bear Creek, about three miles west of Mt. Bullion. DeLorme shows this Bear Creek west of SH 49, flowing from the Bear Valley area southeast towards Mt. Ophir, thence south to Carson Creek, west of Mariposa. Exact location of this Bear Creek Mining Camp is not determined.

BEAR GULCH

...SEE Bear Creek #1 (above)

BEAR TRAP

BEAR VALLEY (CHL #331)

AKA – Biddle’s Camp, Biddleville, Campo del Oso, Haydensville, Johnsonville, Simpsonville

This major gold mining town was located on SH 49 northwest of Mariposa, and grew to a population of about 3000. This was in the heart of John C. FREMONT’s “empire.” To view the PHOTOs! Go to the individual site page.

BEN HUR

AKA – Quick Ranch

A post office was established here in 1890. It is located along Becknell Creek, on a rural road just east of the Ben Hur Road, at a point 13 miles south of the junction of Ben Hur Road/SH 49, at a point just east of Mormon Bar. In 1990 the area’s population was 50.

BENTON MILLS

...SEE Bagby

BERETTI MINE

A gold mine located in Hunter Valley. The exact location not determined.

BERT BRUCE’S SAWMILL

…SEE (Bert) Bruce’s Sawmill

…SEE Sawmills for a listing of the various sawmills in Mariposa County.

BEXTER WHITE & COMPANY’S SAWMILL

Located at Millville, this sawmill was built in January 1854.

BIDDLES CAMP

...SEE Bear Valley

BIDDLEVILLE

...SEE Bear Valley

BIG LODE MINE

Located in the Coulterville Mining District. Actual location not determined.

BIG SLIDE MINE

Located near Hornitos, this mine showed some activity in the 1949-1950 period. Actual location not determined.

BIG SPRING

On SH 49, at the top of Big Spring Hill, 2.2 miles east of Mormon Bar and 3.9 miles west of Bootjack. Hydraulic mining took place here. This was also the first Mariposa County homestead for the PRESTON family.

BLACK BART MINE

This 1870s group of gold mines was located in the Cat Town Mining District. Actual location not determined.

BLUE BELL MINE

One of several mines in the Jerseydale Mining District. Actual location not determined.

BLUE CLOUD MINE

A gold mine located in Hunter Valley. The exact location not determined.

BLUE MOON MINE

This old copper mine was located between Exchequer Road and the Exchequer Dam Road, 1.6 AIR miles southeast of Exchequer Dam, 4.5 AIR miles north-northwest of Hornitos.

BLUE RIBBON MINE

This East Belt vein system gold mine was active in 1949-1950. Location not determined.

BLUE TENT

BOB McKEE MINE

This gold mine was located in the Kinsley Mining District. Actual location not determined.

BOND FLAT

This location was probably was probably an 1850s era placer gold mining camp located along the north side of the Merced River east of Bagby, based on the description of another mining camp called Washington Flat (#1).

…SEE Washington Flat (#1)

BONDURANT

This small mining camp was home to the Cherokee/Shimer Mine, and a ten-stamp mill from 1858 until at least 1863. It was located at or near the Bondurant Mine. It was in the Greeley Hill Mining District, which is part of the larger Kinsley Mining District.

BONDURANT MINE

This gold mine was named after its owner, the first County Judge James A BONDURANT, and was located about ¾ mile west of the North Fork of the Merced River, about eight AIR miles east of Coulterville, at the east end of Bondurant Road. It operated off and on between 1856 and 1942, producing $390,000 in gold. This is also the probable site of the mining camp of Bondurant. It was in the Greeley Hill Mining District, which is part of the larger Kinsley Mining District.

BONDVILLE

An 1850s era placer gold mining camp located on the south side of the Merced River a mile east of Benton Mills. It had a post office between 1855 and 1860. It was named after Stephan BOND, who operated the store and post office.

BONEYARD

Listed in CHAMBERLAIN’s The Call of Gold as one of the unique place names in the Coulterville-Yosemite Road region. No location is given. I assume it would be somewhere between Coulterville and Yosemite Valley. A Boneyard Creek is shown on the DeLorme Atlas map flowing south from Jackass Ridge (four miles north of Coulterville), to Maxwell Creek (about one mile northeast of Coulterville). It could possibly be in that area. (GBS)

BONNET GARDEN

The Bonnet Garden, Bonnet Mine and French Camp were all located east of Mariposa Creek, 1.2 miles south of the site of Whitlock, and about 1.5 miles north of the junction of the Whitlock Road/SH 49, which is about three miles northwest of Mariposa. The Garden supplied fresh fruits and vegetables for miners in the area.

BONNET MINE

Located in the Bonnet Garden area.

…SEE also Bonnet Garden (above).

BOOTJACK elevation 2242’

Located at the junction of SH 49/Darrah Road, 4.8 AIR miles east-southeast of Mariposa. A one-room school was once located here.

In 2002 it consisted of a small core of commercial buildings on the north side of SH 49. In 1980 the population was listed as 25, but in 1990 the area population was listed as 1295. Where they all live, I have no idea, as there is really no town per se. (GBS)

BOWER CAVE

Located on the east side of the North Fork of the Merced River, 0.5 miles east of the junction of the Buck Meadows/Old Yosemite (Greeley Hill) roads, six miles east of Greeley Hill. This old tourist attraction began to draw folks to it in the mid 1850s, when miners discovered it. Stairs were built into the cave, and a number of buildings, including a hotel (in 1881) were erected to serve the tourists. In the early 1950s a fatality caused the cave to be closed to the public, and by the 1970s it was nearly forgotten.

BREAK NECK

Listed in CHAMBERLAINs The Call of Gold as one of the unique place names in the Coulterville-Yosemite Road region. No location is given. I assume it would be somewhere between Coulterville and Yosemite Valley.

BRICEBURG (2-locations) Elevation 1250’

Along the Merced River at the junction of SH 140 and Bull Creek Road, nine AIR miles east-northeast of Bear Valley, and nine AIR miles (15.1 road miles) north of Mariposa. Established in 1909 as a resort (#1) along the north side of the river when William BRICE moved a house and store here. In the 1920s a convict work camp was located across the river. When it was abandoned in 1926, BRICE moved to the south side (#2) of the river.

BRIDGEPORT

This early 1850s-1860s gold mining camp was located on Agua Fria Creek and White Rock Road, about five miles southwest of Mariposa. In 1852 Andrew CHURCH operated a store here.

The Washburn Mine was also located here.

BROWN BEAR MINE

One of a dozen or so gold mines located at Hite’s Cove. Actual location not determined.

(Bert) BRUCE’S SAWMILL:

Bert BRUCE built the Circular Sawmill in 1912. Location not determined.

(Jay) BRUCE’S SAWMILL

The location of this c1913 sawmill is not determined.

BRUSCHI MINE

An old mine located on the north side of Lake McClure, just east of the confluence of the Piney Creek Arm with the main part of the lake.

BUCK HORN

There is a Buckhorn Flat located along Buckhorn Creek about 3.5 AIR miles southeast of Coulterville.

Could this be the same location? (GBS)

BUCK MEADOWS

Location not determined, but there is a Buck Meadows shown on the DeLorme Northern California Atlas at the junction of SH 120/Buck Meadows Road, just south of the county line, about 10.5 AIR miles northeast of Coulterville.

BUCKEYE

In my notes I have a Buckeye located at the junction of the Old Yosemite Highway and the Mt. Bullion Road. I know nothing else about it. (GBS)

BUCKEYE MINING DISTRICT

A hard rock gold mining district located about eight miles south of Mariposa, possibly in the Ben Hur Area. The mines were worked intermittently between the 1860s and 1941. A Buckeye Hill is located about 1.7 AIR miles south of Ben Hur.

In 1869 there was a 4-stamp mill here, and in 1870 there was an 8-stamper.

For details on the below listed mines, follow the links to the appropriate alphabetic listing pages.

· GRANITE KING MINE

· LIVE OAK MINE (#2)

BUCKINGHAM SCHOOL

This one-room school was probably located in the Sweetwater Mining District. In 1884 Miss Sadie ULEN was the teacher. Actual location not determined.

BUENA VISTA MINE

This gold mine was in the Colorado area of the Whitlock Mining District, and operated between the 1850s and the 1930s. In 1851 a gold mill operated here. Actual location not determined.

BUFFALO GULCH

…SEE Feliciana Creek

BUFFALO MINE (#1)

This hard rock mine was located west of Trabucco Creek east of SH 140, about 1.9 AIR miles southeast of Briceburg, in the Whitlock Mining District.

BUFFALO MINE (#2)

One of several mines located in the Jerseydale Mining District. Actual location not determined.

BULL CREEK MINING DISTRICT

No detailed information on this mining district found. This may be another name for the Kinsley Mining District.

BULLION KNOB

This 1850s gold mining camp was located five miles northwest of Mariposa. GUDDE notes in CGC that: “This is NOT the same place as Mount Bullion.”

BUNCE MINE

This gold mine was located in the Kinsley Mining District. Actual location not determined.

BUNKER HILL MINE

AKA – Squirrel Mine

Located at Hite’s Cove, this old mine was first known as the Squirrel Mine. It was discovered in 1851 and had one of California’s first stamp mills operating here.

BURNS CREEK

This creek flows from near the junction of Hornitos Road/CR J16, south about seven AIR miles to Burns Reservoir. The reservoir is 12 AIR miles northeast of Merced, in Merced County, just west of the Mariposa County line.

From 1949-1951, the Thurman & Wright Dredge #3 was operating in “bench gravel” along Burns Creek. It was the largest operating dredge in the county at that time, and pulled about $650,000 in gold from over five million cubic yards of gravel and sand. The activity was “near Hornitos.” In April 2002, the tailings were still (Apr 2002) visible along CR J16 north of Hornitos.

…also SEE Burns Diggings (below).

BURNS DIGGINGS

AKA – Burns Ranch, Burns Town

This 1848-1850s era placer, gravel and lode gold mining camp was located along Burns Creek, southwest of Hornitos. GUDDE speculates in CGC that this may be the same camp that grew into Quartzburg. The camp and creek were named after John & Robert BURNS, 1847 era ranchers who had gold discovered on their lands in 1849.

…also SEE Burns Creek (above).

BURNS RANCH(E)

…SEE Burns Diggings (above).

BURNS TOWN

…SEE Burns Diggings (above).

BURR MINE

In the Granite Springs Mining District, which is located in the upper northwest corner of the county, straddling the Tuolumne County line, north of Lake McClure. Most of the gold mines in the district closed down by the 1930s. The Burr Mine produced about $350,000 in gold. Actual location of the mine is not determined.

* * *

Return to the GTs of Mariposa Co., CA Index Page

Mariposa County locations with names beginning:

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | PQ | R | S |TUV | W | XYZ

Detailed information on individual locations:

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First Posted: Dec 10, 2001

Last Updated: Apr 11, 2009

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