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| Trapezoidal-prism-shaped foundation of the Mangum Mill today (September 2022) |
The ghost town of Aurora in Nevada has its ghost mill: the Mangum Mill. The discovery of gold- and silver-rich ore in the second half of the 19th century triggered the foundation of mining towns north of Mono Lake—including Aurora [1-5]. Founded in 1860, one year after Bodie was established, the Aurora Mine Area (elevation around 7,500 feet) had a very short boom time; if any at all. Nevertheless, the mines were kept alive for some decades (see the Aurora Cemetery board section “Boomtown, Then Dust” [1]):
In the early twentieth century, the Aurora Consolidated Mines Company acquired property north of the old town and erected the big mill known as the Mangum Mill. While the company's activities brought some life back to Aurora, it was not a long-lived proposition, closing operations in 1918.
Today there is only rubble left, due to the fact that many buildings were disassembled and the bricks used to make them sold or stolen. Today, the US Forest Service manages a portion of the site.
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| Not stolen: concrete-anchored metal |
The 500-ton mill is named for W. Lester Mangum, who, with Jesse Knight and three others, established the Aurora Consolidated Mines Company in 1912. Construction of the mill was completed in 1914 [2]. Although the company kept Aurora in its name, Aurora was not considered fit as the mining hometown. In the shadow of the mill, the company town of Mangum was established, because Jesse Knight, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was displeased with the “sinful life” happening in Aurora.
The Nevada Expeditions website describes the short time of the mills operation and its final fate [2]:
For the next few years and into World War I, the Aurora Consolidated Co. worked old mines and tailings, processing over 633,000 tons of ore and producing over $1.8 million. By 1918, a shortage of labor due to the war coupled with rising operation costs led to the mill's closure. It was soon dismantled, and both equipment and buildings were relocated to Goldfield and Mangum quickly became but a memory. Large foundations of the Aurora Consolidated Mill remain, but the site of Mangum has since been covered by modern day mining operations.
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| Stay out of trouble—avoid the rubble! |
Today, you can still walk between the remaining walls and rubble of the Mangum Mill. Its terraced foundation can be seen from the air [5]. It seems relatively safe to use the walk ways between the walls that occur on different terrace levels. All around, fallen rocks, wheels, beams and sharp or rusty metal pieces make for trip hazards. An occasional high-altitude rattlesnake may hang out in a rubble shelter during the hot summer months, although it is said they are seldom found much about 7,000 feet or higher.
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| Today's Aurora landscape: Mill walls in front, high walls in the back |
References and more to explore
[1] Aurora, Nevada. Ghost City of the Dawn. Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Board at the Aurora Cemetery site, Bridgeport Road, Nevada.
[2] Mangum, Mineral County. Nevada Expeditions, 2013-2022. Website: https://www.nvexpeditions.com/mineral/mangum.php.
[3] Aurora, Nevada. Western Mining History. Website: https://westernmininghistory.com/towns/nevada/aurora/.
[4] Aurora. Atlas Obscura. Website: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/aurora-nevada.
[5] Drone footage of the Ghost Town of Mangum, Mineral County, Nevada. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41EhnRRMRm0.
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| Inspiring Mangum Mill memories: beams below clouds |
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