Ghost Towns of Mariposa Co., CA-C

Ghost Town USA’s

Guide to the Ghost Towns, Mining Camps,

and Other Formerly Inhabited Places in

MARIPOSA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

Locations beginning with C

CAMP CURRY

This old tourist camp was located in the heart of Yosemite Valley, in Yosemite National Park.

CAMP FREMONT

Location not determined.

CAMP GUADALUPE

…SEE Guadalupe

CAMP YOSEMITE

Location not determined.

CAMP 17

This was one of 11 logging camps, active in the area during the 1924-1944 period. It was located about a half mile east of Pilot Peak, which is on the Tuolumne/Mariposa County line about 10.5 AIR miles northwest of El Portal.

CAMPO DEL OSO

...SEE Bear Valley

CARRIE TODD MINE

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

CARSON

...SEE Carsons (below)

CARSON CREEK

...SEE Carsons (below)

CARSON GULCH

...SEE Carsons (below)

CARSON MINE (#1)

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

CARSON MINE (#2)

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

CARSONS

AKA – Carson, Carson Creek, Carson Gulch, Carsontown

This 1849-mid 1850s gold mining town was located along Carson Creek and SH 140, about four miles west of Mariposa. Just east of Agua Fria Creek, there is an historical marker denoting the site of Louis de BLAINVILLE’s 1850s era tannery at Carsons. In the 1930s there were still ruins of several buildings, including the Carson General Store.

In 1853 had mostly canvas tent “buildings” with two wooden ones. The later housed a gambling house and a house of “ill-repute.”

CARSONTOWN

…SEE Carsons (above)

CAT TOWN

This 1850s era gold mining camp was located in the Cat Town Mining District in upper Solomon Gulch about 4.5 miles south-southeast of Dogtown and 3.6 AIR miles northeast of Bagby.

…SEE Cat Town Mining District (below)

CAT TOWN MINING DISTRICT

This gold mining district is sandwiched between Coulterville and the Kinsley-Greeley Hill districts. The hard rock mines were most active in the 1880s and 1890s, and again in the 1930s.

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

· BLACK BART MINE

· CAT TOWN (…SEE above)

· GOLD BUG MINE

· SOLOMON’S GULCH

· WHITE PORPHYRY MINES GROUP

CATHAY

...SEE Cathey Valley (below)

CATHEY MINING DISTRICT

This gold mining district was located about ten miles southwest of Mariposa, near Cathey Valley. Placer mining in the 1849-early 1850s era, followed by hard rock mines, most of which were idle by the 1930s.

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

· FRANCIS MINE

· MOORE HILL MINE

· RICH MINE

CATHEY VALLEY elevation 1321’

AKA – Cathay

Named after Andrew CATHEY, this mining/ranching community dates to 1852. It is located at the junction of SH 140/Hornitos Road, about nine AIR miles southwest of Mariposa. In 1921, GAMBOL’s Sawmill was located at the upper end of Cathey's Valley. In 1978 I took a picture of an old motel that was falling into ruins. Several little white cabins remained.

In 2002 Cathey Valley was a scattered but busy little road town/ranching community situated in an oak-studded flat. A one-room school was located here, and the restored building was the scene of a community get-together in April 2002. Actual location of the school not determined by me (GBS).

CAUTY'S FLAT

Carolyn Feroben found this place name in the 1928 Mariposa Gazette Name Contest. Anyone know where it was, or anything about it? (GBS)

CAVAGNARO MINE

A copper mine in the western foothills. Actual location not determined. The CAVAGNARO name also appears on a Hornitos store building and on graves in the Hornitos Cemetery. Same person or relation?

CAVAN MINE

A copper mine located in the western foothills. Actual location not determined.

CHAMISAL

AKA – Chemisal, Chimisal

This 1850s placer, and 1860s hard rock gold mining camp was located along Temperance Creek. The name is derived from the Chamise Tree (white-flowering greasewood – Adenostoma fasciculatum). It is now under Lake McClure.

CHAMPION MINE (#1)

Northeast of Coulterville, the actual location is not determined, but it was in the Coulterville Mining District. It closed around 1938 after producing $150,000-200,000 in gold.

CHAMPION MINE (#2)

This hard rock mine was located in the Whitlock Mining District about a mile northeast of the Whitlock Mine.

CHANCE MINE

This hard rock mine was located in the Whitlock Mining District. Actual location not determined.

…SEE the Whitlock Mining District for a list of the mines in that mining district.

CHEMISAL

…SEE Chamisal (above)

CHEROKEE MINE

AKA – Lovely Rogers Mine, Rogers Mine, Shimer Mine

Also known as the Lovely Rogers or Rogers Mine, this old mine was located one mile west of the Hasloe Mine, in the Greeley Hill Mining District, which is part of the larger Kinsley Mining District. It was discovered in 1859 (?) by Lovely ROGERS, an active Cherokee Indian miner who in the early 1860s is also credited with discovering Kern County’s famed “Big Blue” vein, which gave birth to the mining camp of Quartzburg, near Kernville. This mine was active 1857 (?)-1860s, and again from the 1880s-1890s. During the later period, it was operated by the SHIMER brothers, and renamed the Shimer Mine.

CHIMISAL

…SEE Chamisal (above)

CHITTENDEN’S MINE

In 1882, this gold mine located in the Hornitos Mining District was owned and operated by George CHITTENDEN, and was located near the Elk Horn Ranch, which was located on the Mariposa-Hornitos Road.

CHOWCHILLA

AKA – Chuchilla Diggings?

This was an 1850s era placer camp, that later supported dredges. In 1949, the Ernest NOBLE Dredge was operating along the Chowchilla River. Exact location not determined.

CHOWCHILLA SCHOOL

This one-room school was located on SH 49, one mile east of De Longs, 2.8 miles east of Usona, 0.2 miles north of Elliot Corner. It was in operation between 1885-1938.

CHUCHILLA DIGGINGS

...SEE Chowchilla (above)

CIRCULAR SAWMILL

…SEE (Bert) Bruce’s Sawmill.

CLARK’S SAWMILL

There are several references to CLARK's old sawmill, located about one mile northeast of BACHMAN's on Bachman Road in the Jerseydale area.

· In 1854, D.C. Clark built a sawmill at the Acorn Inn.

· In 1864 Clark’s Mill was along the route of travel between Mariposa and Hites Cove. It was also active during the mining period of the early 1880s.

· A third reference places this c1883 sawmill in the Sweetwater Mining District.

· SARGENT says it is at or near Fred CLARK’s House (Clark’s Station?), which is at the junction of SH 140/Triangle Road, 4.5 AIR miles northeast of Mariposa. It was still there in 1975.

Could all of these be at the same location as the Acorn Inn and/or Clark’s Station? These appear to be all in the same area. (GBS)

CLARK’S STATION

AKA – Snow Creek Ranch

· “A frame building used as a saloon, situated at the crossing of Snow Creek on the east bank, about 1.5 miles east of George BERTKEN'S residence and about two miles south of Clark's saw mill…in the Jerseydale area.” (Carolyn Feroben)

· Another Clark’s Station was located on the Yosemite Trail, and was established in 1854 by Galen CLARK. It was located along the South Fork of the Merced River near Wawona.

Is this Clark’s Station the same location as that noted by Carolyn? (GBS)

…SEE Way Stations for a listing of the various way stations in Mariposa County.

CLEARING HOUSE/CLEARINGHOUSE

AKA – Ferguson Mine, Original Mine

This mine, and mining camp were located on the north side of the Merced River, along SH 140, 4.5 AIR miles west of El Portal and west of the community of Merced River. The hard rock mine operated from 1860-1950s. It is said that the shaft is 1000 feet deep and produced about $3.35 million in gold. Steady operations shut down in 1937, but there was some exploratory work done until the 1950s.

In 1857 it had an 8-stamp mill, followed shortly after by a 15-stamp mill. In 1907 the mine name changed from the Original Mine to the Clearing House Mine, in the Clearinghouse Mining District.

(SEE below for a list of mines in that mining district.)

CLEARINGHOUSE MINING DISTRICT

Situated north of the Merced River west of El Portal, the star attraction here was the Clearing House Mine (SEE above). The district was extensively worked from 1860-1880, and again in spurts in the early 1900s, the 1930s, and a scattering of work as late as the 1950s.

In 1857 it had an 8-stamp mill, followed shortly after by a 15-stamp mill.

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

· CLEARING HOUSE MINE …SEE above

· CRANBERRY MINE (#1) …SEE Rutherford & Cranberry Mine

· FERGUSON MINE …SEE Clearing House Mine (above)

· GOLD STAR MINE

· OLD TIMER MINE

· ORIGINAL MINE …SEE Clearing House Mine (above)

· RUTHERFORD & CRANBERRY MINE

· SOUTH CRANBERRY MINE

· UNCLE JIM MINE

· WEST RUTHERFORD MINE

CLEVELAND MINE

This old gold mine was located in the Sherlock-Whitlock area, north of Mariposa. Actual location not determined.

COLD SPRING STAGE STATION

On the Chowchilla Mountain Road, 3.3 miles northeast of Elliott Corner, 18.4 miles east of Mariposa.

…SEE Way Stations for a listing of the various way stations in Mariposa County.

COLORADO

AKA – Colorow

This 1850s era gold mining camp was located in the Saxton Creek area, about two miles east of Sherlock and five miles north of Mariposa and west of Midpines in the northeastern part of the Whitlock Mining District.

A post office operated here between Jun 1858 and Mar 1860 and a school was also located here. Actual location of the school is not determined.

COLORADO MINE

This gold mine was located in the Whitlock Mining District on Long Gulch. It had a ten-stamp mill, and produced about $50,000 in gold before closing in 1952.

COLOROW

…SEE Colorado above

COMET MINE

Ray SCOTT purchased his sawmill from the Comet Mine in 1924. Where he set it up is not determined. Another Comet Mine is listed as one of several mines in the Jerseydale Mining District. Actual location of either mine is not determined. Could these two Comet Mines be one and the same? (GBS)

COMBINATION MINE

This hard-rock gold mine was located directly on the Mother Lode vein system. Location not determined.

COMPROMISE MINE

This gold mine was located about 15 miles “above” Coulterville, and was active c1882. Exact location not determined.

CONFIDENCE MINE

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

CONTENTION MINE

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

COPPER HILL MINE

This copper mine was located in the West Westfall Area Copper Mines, just northwest of the Johnnie Green Mine, 1.2 AIR miles west of White Rock Road, 3.5 AIR miles south of the junction of White Rock/West Westfall roads, and 7.0 AIR miles north of the four-county intersection.

CORBET CREEK

…SEE Corbett’s (below)

CORBETT’S

AKA – Corbet Creek

The Hornitos Road crosses Corbet Creek, which is a tributary to Bear Creek, at a point 5.5 AIR miles east-southeast of Hornitos. There were hard rock mines in the area in the 1850s, and dredging in the 1940s. In the early 1850s an Alexander CORBETT operated a store and the Dog Pump Hotel here. The actual location of the camp is not determined.

It may be in the vicinity of the creek crossing, or over where the Old Toll Road junction is. (GBS)

COTTON CREEK MINE

This 1930s era hard rock mine was located on Cotton Creek, just east of the Hunter Valley Road.

COTTONVILLE

This 1849-early 1850s gold camp was probably located along Cotton Creek, just above its confluence with the Merced River. Now under Lake McClure, Cottonwood is under the south tip of the west leg of the lake, east of Exchequer Dam. This old camp and creek was named after early miner, G. T. COTTON.

COUGHRAN RANCH STAGE STATION

This old ranch and stage station was located on the Ben Hur Road, three miles from Ben Hur and 10.1 miles south of the junction of SH 49/Ben Hur Road, which is just east of Mormon Bar.

…SEE Way Stations for a listing of the various way stations in Mariposa County.

COULTERVILLE (CHL #332) elevation 1683’

AKA – Bandarita, Bandereta, Maxwell’s Creek, Maxwellville

Established by George COULTER in 1850 in the heart of some placer mining creeks. He built a store and hotel, and the nucleus for the town was established. When the post office was established in 1853, it was first called Maxwell Creek, but in 1854 it changed to Coulterville to honor the town’s founder. It is still an active community full of historic old buildings. PHOTOs!

COULTERVILLE MINING DISTRICT

…SEE individual page for COULTERVILLE.

COW & CALF

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 Cow & Calf Gulch is shown on the DeLorme Atlas map just west of Pendola Gardens, 3.5 miles south of Bear Valley and four miles west of Mt. Bullion. Could this possibly be the location of this old camp? (GBS)

COWARD MINE

…SEE Hasloe Mine in the Greeley Hill Mining District.

…SEE Greeley Hill Mining District for a list of mines in that mining district.

CRANBERRY MINE (#1)

…SEE Rutherford & Cranberry Mine

…SEE Clearinghouse Mining District (above) for a list of mines in that mining district.

CRANBERRY MINE (#2)

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

CROOK’S SAWMILL

This old sawmill was in operation around 1888, and was located about a mile below Jack LaTOUCHE’s Ranch. Actual location not determined.

CUNNINGHAM RANCHO

This c1854 gold mining camp was located near Princeton (Bear Valley). Actual location 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

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First Posted: December 10, 2001

Last Updated: March 19, 2005

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