Red Mountain, California

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Booming mining district in the early 1920's. About 400 residents between the three mining towns. The original name of Red Mountain was Osdick. Named after one of the origianl miners. Active and social center for the mining district in the 30's.

Highlights of the Area:

1895 - April 25th,Gold discovered by three men: C.A. Burcham, F.M. Mooers and John Singleton. The place was Called "Rand Camp" later Called "Yellow Aster Mine".
1896 - Population 1500. First oficial post office on April 16,1896.
1897 - First Bank was in Randsburg
First Grammar School
1898 - Yellow Aster Mine builds a 30 stamp mill
Randsburg Railroad from Kramer junction completed on Jan. 5th
1899 Orpheum theatre was built.
Jan population 3500.
1900 - Newspaper reports $3,000,000.00 in gold taken out.
1901 - New Grammar School, new 100 stamp mill.
1903 - Labor Strike at Yellow Aster Mine.
1904 - Present Santa Barbara Church built in Randsburg. Old one burned.
1905 - Tungsten discovered in Atolia 5 miles down now hwy 395.
1911 - Yellow Aster Mine took out $6,000,000.00 in gold.
1912 - Mine has been in continuous operation for 17 yrs.
1913 - Charles A. Burcham dies.
1914 - John Singleton died in May leaving only Dr. Rose Burcham as the sole surviving member of the Yellow Aster Mine.
1915 - Gold again in the headlines
Dave Bowman found a gold nugget in Red Rock Cajon that sold for $1,979.00.
Al Wiser and charles Koehn found nugget at their mine near Red Rock Cajon and Last Chance Canjon Rd.
Tungsten boom in Atolia again: price up to $90.00 per unit. 2,000 people in Atolia.
1917 - WWI took many people away from the mines, and the flu epidemic also took its toll.
1918 - Silver in large amounts found in what is now Red Mountain. A boom is on, the Kelly mine (stamp mill still visible) being the biggest producer. Mining creates another boom of people.
1922 - the Post office was established as Osdick (later called Red Mountain.)
1933 - The Randsburg RR., bought by the Sante Fe in 1903, discontinues operation
1935 - Randsburg and Red Mountain are doing very well.
1930's - Red Mountain was an active Liquor area during prohabiton and had very well known brothels.
1942 - All gold mining is stopped in the US.
1984 - With gold as high up as it is miners are trying again in the area.
1998 - Rand's Mine is operating and still digging up gold. The Silver Dollar and the Owl are still habited.

Acknowledgement to Jack H. McGinis for his research where most of this information was found, as well as a series of other small pamphlets.

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