Chasing the Glitter: Black Hills Milling, 1874-1959 (Historical Preservation Series, 2) - Softcover

Clow, Richmond L.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0971517118 ISBN 13: 9780971517110

Publisher: South Dakota State Historical Society Press, 2002

Synopsis

For those curious about the mine structures that dot the Black Hills landscape, this illustrated overview of mills and mineral-extraction processes will provide answers. The engineers and metallurgists who chased the glitter in the hard-rock ores made mining the region's number-one industry and influenced gold-recovery practices around the world.

About this title

From the Publisher

Abandoned mining structures dot the Black Hills of South Dakota. Why were they built? What did people do there? Answers to these questions can be found in Chasing the Glitter: Black Hills Milling, 1874-1959.

Generously illustrated by historic photographs, Chasing the Glitter tells the story of the men, mills, and machines that teased precious metals from the reluctant ores of the Black Hills of South Dakota. Following the 1874 discovery of gold, miners with picks and pans swarmed to Dakota Territory ready to glean easy fortunes. Instead, they harvested disappointment when ores proved resistant to hand tools. Unable to finance costly recovery methods, prospectors sold their hard-rock claims to wealthy entrepreneurs and companies.

Three years later, the first mill began operating in Deadwood Gulch. Within ten years, mills were the most visible man-made features on the mining landscape. Their constantly blowing steam whistles and pounding machinery made them the noisiest, as well.

Less glamorous than the romantic adventurers who discovered the glitter in the streams, the engineers and the metallurgists who chased the glitter in the hard rock unlocked the secrets of the complex ores. They invented the recovery methods and machinery and built the mills. In the process, they made mining the premier industry in the Black Hills and contributed significantly to the world’s mineral-recovery industry.

About the Author

Richmond L. Clow is professor of Native American Studies at the University of Montana in Missoula. The South Dakota native received B.S. and M.A. degrees from the University of South Dakota and a Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico. He has written numerous articles on American Indian and Black Hills topics.

Edition details

• Publisher: South Dakota State Historical Society Press
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0971517118
• ISBN 13: 9780971517110
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 216