National Register of Historic Places

Empire Mine

Grass Valley, Nevada County, California
Listed
December 9, 1977
Type
District
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
77000318

About this property

Empire Mine State Historic Park is a state-protected mine and park in the Sierra Nevada mountains in Grass Valley, California, U.S. The Empire Mine is on the National Register of Historic Places, a federal Historic District, and a California Historical Landmark. Since 1975, California State Parks has administered and maintained the mine as a historic site. Situated in the Grass Valley Mining District, the Empire Mine is "one of the oldest, largest, deepest, longest and richest gold mines in California". Between 1850 and its closure in 1956, the Empire Mine produced 5.8 million ounces (165 tons) of gold, extracted from 367 miles (591 km) of underground passages.

Location

Grass Valley, Nevada County, California
39.20674, -121.04405

Categories

INDUSTRYARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Empire Mine

This page lists Empire Mine. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Grass Valley Public Library
Industrial
1.3 mi
Mount St. Mary's Academy and Convent
Industrial
1.4 mi
North Star House
Industrial
1.9 mi
Nevada Theatre
Industrial
4.1 mi
National Exchange Hotel
Industrial
4.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Empire Mine listed on the National Register?

Empire Mine was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 9, 1977.

What type of historic resource is Empire Mine?

Empire Mine is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Empire Mine?

The period of significance for Empire Mine is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Empire Mine?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Empire Mine will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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