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Old Stagecoach Road to Stanton
Sunday Mike and I enjoyed an afternoon road trip on Stagecoach Road east and south of home to Stanton and back with several photo op stops and a little walk up a dry wash.
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Boot Hill RV Park
Today, Stanton, once known as Antelope Station, is owned by the Lost Dutchman’s Mining Association and has been transformed into a campground for RVs.
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Many recreational prospectors visit especially during the winter to try their luck.
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And all hope to find “spud-sized” nuggets of gold like those reported by the first prospectors in 1863 who dug up $100,000 worth of gold in six months from nearby Rich Hill.
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Hillside scattered with mines
By 1868 there were 3500 residents.
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Then in 1871 Charles Stanton arrived and took over the town becoming the postmaster, deputy and justice of peace.
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Although the town grew under Stanton’s management he had a bad reputation for deceitful acts and was shot in 1886 in his own store over insulting a man’s sister. The post office was closed in 1905.
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Now, Stanton is considered a modern-day ghost town where the population increases with the arrival of winter snowbirds. Some are out looking for the gold while others played an afternoon game of bingo in the old Opera House.
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Hotel Stanton now houses a pool room, game room and library.
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View south to Vulture Peak in distance
Mike belongs to one of the many prospectors’ clubs with mining claims on the 1700 acres that make up the Weaver Mining District under the Bureau of Land Management. We could go camping out here and try to stike it rich finding the elusive gold.
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Antelope Peak, antennae marks home
But that will be another day and we returned back up the 10 miles of mostly graded gravel Stagecoach Road.To view more of the world, or to share a look into your own, visit My World Tuesday by clicking here.
Sunday Mike and I enjoyed an afternoon road trip on Stagecoach Road east and south of home to Stanton and back with several photo op stops and a little walk up a dry wash.
.jpg)
Boot Hill RV Park
Today, Stanton, once known as Antelope Station, is owned by the Lost Dutchman’s Mining Association and has been transformed into a campground for RVs.
.jpg)
Many recreational prospectors visit especially during the winter to try their luck.
.jpg)
And all hope to find “spud-sized” nuggets of gold like those reported by the first prospectors in 1863 who dug up $100,000 worth of gold in six months from nearby Rich Hill.
.jpg)
Hillside scattered with mines
By 1868 there were 3500 residents.
.jpg)
Then in 1871 Charles Stanton arrived and took over the town becoming the postmaster, deputy and justice of peace.
.jpg)
Although the town grew under Stanton’s management he had a bad reputation for deceitful acts and was shot in 1886 in his own store over insulting a man’s sister. The post office was closed in 1905.
.jpg)
Now, Stanton is considered a modern-day ghost town where the population increases with the arrival of winter snowbirds. Some are out looking for the gold while others played an afternoon game of bingo in the old Opera House.
.jpg)
Hotel Stanton now houses a pool room, game room and library.
.jpg)
View south to Vulture Peak in distance
Mike belongs to one of the many prospectors’ clubs with mining claims on the 1700 acres that make up the Weaver Mining District under the Bureau of Land Management. We could go camping out here and try to stike it rich finding the elusive gold.
.jpg)
Antelope Peak, antennae marks home
But that will be another day and we returned back up the 10 miles of mostly graded gravel Stagecoach Road.To view more of the world, or to share a look into your own, visit My World Tuesday by clicking here.
Gold fever is prevalent here in the Sierra foothills. Folks can be seen in the rivers panning for gold. Perhaps one of these days I will do a post on that. I took some photos a while back at the Coloma Gold Discovery Site but I wasn't very pleased with them and would like to go back and try again.
Beautiful shots and interesting words.
Sydney – City and Suburbs
Ah, shades of the Old West. Fascinating post, one that draws me nearer.
What an interesting little place. Its awesome that the history and old buildings are preserved in such a way and that people are allowed to still go out there and try their luck.
What fun!! Hope you found a BIG nugget!!
Great shots – and what a fun visit.
Interesting post on the gold mining and the modern day ghost town. Very col! Thanks for sharing.
Seems like Stanton died the way he lived – squabbling.
What a picturesque little town, although the gold might be all pichek by now.
Cool history lesson, Gaelyn…but just LOOK AT THAT SKY! GASP!
I can only say it looks warmer there than here!
At this point, there is no way I can catch up here, so I'm going to try to show up more frequently. But I've got travel this week. But this is one of the most interesting blogs I read, so I really hope to find a way to visit more frequently.
Gaelyn: that is such an interesting narrative to go with the neat photos.
Well thanks for the tour and info on Stanton. It looks like Hotel Stanton is the only cool spot in town.
Here's hoping you find another spud.
MB
What an interesting post, Gaelyn. I love that a man would arrive in a town and "take over" then hold all the high offices. Ooh, do tell when you strike gold! (((Hugs))) Jo
looks like a great way to spend an afternoon. it would be such a deal to find gold nuggets wouldn't it? i wonder how many people actually find some significant amounts.
have a good week.
e
Cool-looking ghost town and mining place. I'm also enjoying the clouds in your photos. 🙂
I love the old west. Great post.
Postmaster, deputy AND justice of the peace? So what did Stanton do with all his FREE time?!!
Gaelyn, Thanks for taking me along on your visit to Stanton. What – now you are turning into a prospector?? Well, I hope you find a nugget as big as the one pictured. PS I love the little creature in the purple slippers on your sidebar. Looks just like me before morning coffee!
What a wonderful post and day trip Gaelyn. I love the old ghost towns cause if you are quiet and respectful I believe you can here the old stories being told to you. Thank you for sharing this wonderful adventure.
Smiles
Very interesting tour of Stanton. I had to laugh at the Opera House. It's a wee bit smaller than what you usually picture an opera house looking like.
Here in Alaska gold mining is still a going concern, with several large scale commercial mines but also lots of family type operations, although they are mostly all done with heavy equipment and moving a lot of dirt.
The old buildings and the scenery intrigue me more than mining for gold. But if I was there, I'd sure look around. Who knows when you might trip over a 100,000 nugget!
Where is Stanton? We didn't get there last winter.
What a fun day!
Neat blog. I do find a dirt road curving away irrestible. What's around the bend I always wonder.
And people still get shot today for some insults…sorry..don't know where that came from…
When we were trucking we joined a prospectors club…maybe we should spend a winter there trying our luck.