Posted on September 27, 2018

The Tiger Hotel, located in Burke, Idaho, seven miles from Wallace, was a three story frame hotel with 150 rooms. It was built over the South Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River, and the Northern Pacific Railroad tracks ran through the lobby. The hotel’s only purpose was to provide food... [Read More]

Posted on August 2, 2018

One of the many side businesses Henry L. Day was involved in was the Sunset Mercantile Company, a reorganization of the Sunset Brewery in Wallace, ID. Sunset Mercantile existed from 1934 to 1946, although their first beer, named ”Gem State,” was introduced in 1938. [Read More]

Posted on July 25, 2018

Organized August 14, 1909, the Ray-Jefferson Mining Company included the ”Ray” Lode, ”Jefferson” Lode and ”Lincoln” Lode claims. Little work was done until 1915, when the ”Carlisle,” “Hill Group” and ”Carbon Creek” claims were purchased and parts of the Ray-Jefferson were leased to other mining companies. In 1916, the Day family attempted to purchase the... [Read More]

Posted on July 12, 2018

Equal opportunity isn’t always the first thought to come to mind when looking at historic mining collections, however with the Option Mining Company, typical gender occupations of 1925 seem to be reversed when Mrs. Lorena K. Stratton was elected chairman/president and Mr. William J. Stratton secretary. Presumably they make up... [Read More]

Posted on July 2, 2018

In addition to silver, zinc and lead, copper also became a primary ore mined in the Coeur d’Alene Mining region. Incorporated in 1906, the National Copper Mining Company consisted of 8 mining claims and one mill site, shown here 5 years after its first demise after steadily declining production. National... [Read More]

Posted on June 25, 2018

The Musselshell Mine was a hydraulic placer mine on Musselshell Creek in what is now Clearwater County, Idaho. Charles McClintock of Detroit, Michigan and John McClintock of Lexington, Kentucky established the mine in 1900 with Louis C. Roberts as manager and director of mining operations. One year later, the mine... [Read More]

Posted on June 20, 2018

In the days before the privacy of email, any sensitive correspondence that had to be sent quickly as in this telegram between mining administrator Henry L. Day and his attorney John H. Wourms, was sent in code. The translated letter reads: “Apparently there is deed to Liberty Mine in escrow... [Read More]

Posted on June 13, 2018

The Laclede Mining Company was an ambitious endeavor that unfortunately netted very little profits. The property, consisting of 4 lode claims, was extensively developed between 1903 and the fall of 1916 or spring of 1917 but no commercial ore was found and the mine was shut down. Reorganizations of the... [Read More]

Posted on June 11, 2018

Imperial Mining Company ledger [Read More]

Posted on May 24, 2018

Humming Bird Mining Company [Read More]

Posted on April 27, 2018

Gold Hunter Mine [Read More]

Posted on April 19, 2018

The Empire Copper Company, located near the city of Mackay in central Idaho, was at one time the largest producer of copper in the state of Idaho. At the height of its production it consisted of 38 mining claims, a smelter capable of handling over 500 tons of ore daily,... [Read More]

Posted on April 16, 2018

Unidentified man [1] [Read More]

Posted on April 6, 2018

Coeur d'Alene Mining & Smelting Company meeting minutes [Read More]

Posted on April 3, 2018

In 1885, a prospector’s errant burro wandered off only to discover an outcropping of galena, a lead- and silver-rich ore. Within days, the Bunker Hill claim was established. [Read More]

Posted on March 30, 2018

University of Idaho Special Collections and Archives is starting a new Tumblr series that will be highlighting our historic mining collections. [Read More]