Lost Raspberry Mine

[Oroblanco]

Anyone ever heard of the Lost Raspberry gold mine, in the Black Hills of South Dakota? I have a few articles on it and would appreciate any additional info that you might care to share, regardless of source or doubts about veracity. Thank you in advance,
Oroblanco

 

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[irishmick]

Now this is just a rumor but I heard this guy oro had some info on the Raspberry Mine. Maybe he'd spin a tale or two. Entertainment purposes only of course ;o)

 

[Oroblanco]

Thanks for the kind words amigo! A short version is all I can give - an old prospector who lived in Central City was making money by going into the hills to pick wild raspberries, which he sold to the local restaurants and hotels happened to find a very old mine in one of the canyons west or northwest of town. He took a couple of samples and brought them to be assayed, and the assays came back extremely rich - well over 600 ounces of gold per ton. The old man took sick and died without telling anyone where it was.

As you probably guessed, I was "fishing" for more info on this one, I think it would be a fun one to hunt for and nothing was done to "hide" or conceal it, a lucky person might just walk right to it.

Good luck and good hunting amigo - I hope you find the treasures that you seek.
your friend,
Oroblanco

 

[Maitland]

I hate to bump this without being able to add any relevant information, but even more so I hate seeing the South Dakota forum get one new reply every six months! There's so much history and interesting stuff to discuss, especially in and around the Black Hills. Just wondering, what exactly is the source of this old legend? A book, or word-of-mouth, and is there a possible time-frame at all to go with it? I'm just throwing this out there and I'm sure there is zero relativity, but... I do know that there is a 'Raspberry Gulch', but that's way over in Spearfish Canyon, I think that would've been a little "out of the way" for someone living in Central City way back when though! Rumor has it that some of the richest lode deposits of gold in the Black Hills are in the northerly direction from Central City, and Barrick/Homestake still owns a majority of the private land back in there. There's a large aquifer that runs underground in that area and it's been a problem since they've been trying to go after this lode gold down there. Perhaps if this legend is true, it would be in the same general area. I know despite the water problems Homestake did indeed assay the area, but I have never heard any per-ton figures. To me, 600 ounces per ton seems too good to be true! I think there is way more gold still out there in the Hills than what most people will ever realize though. It makes you wonder how many old and forgotten mines are out there as well, some perhaps caved-in or overgrown with brush.

 

[themarkd]

Thanks to Roy, I'll be (along with my "team") in search of the Henry Thomas saddlebag treasure. If for nothing else, it'll be a camaraderie type of excursion. Worst case...I break a leg and get eaten by a large cat. Best case..we pan a little gold.

I'd love to discuss if solely to keep this thread breathing.

And Roy...you have mail.

 

[Oroblanco]

Thanks buddy - will check it in a moment!

The story has been in the float since the 1880s when it ran in the newspapers, and the last I know of it being in print was a magazine article in the 1970's or late 1960s. The logical area (to me) is so well known, there were many claims and small mines dug there that it seems that it can't be right or the mine would have been found by now. I suspect that the old man of the story was able to walk considerably farther than we assume today, which makes for a much larger search area.

Yes too on how the area is very rich in history, and in lost mines too! There are at least 23 known, documented lost mines or ledges in the SD part of the hills alone, with at least another five on the Wyoming side. But who today hunts for the lost Stone Cabin mine or ever even heard of the lost silver mine of Rainbow canyon? All the attention goes to what has appeared on TV, the famous stories in Arizona and to a lesser degree California, which works in our favor for less competition! Let them hunt for the Lost Dutchman or Pegleg's black gold nuggets.

Good luck and good hunting amigos, wish I had more solid information to add on this one but not much luck so far. I will check that email now too!
Roy

 

[RockRaven]

If you are looking for a location accessible from Central City, Maitland already described it - in Spearfish Canyon, less than a mile north of Cheyenne Crossing is Raspberry Gulch, east side of the road. It is actually very near to Central City, just one mile south of Terry Peak and immediately west of Mystic Miner ski resort. The upper part of the gulch is in a highly mineralized area that had many old mines, very close to the active workings of Wharf. The upper end of the gulch is T4N R2E Section 14. No mines are listed in Baity's Ghost Mine Maps, but within a mile to the northeast would be the Baltimore, Upper Welcome, Hardscrabble-Harmony, Daisy, Tornado, and Great Mogul, all Trojan area mines in Section 12 on the north line. Looks like mostly Forest Service for the first 1.5 miles up from the Canyon, then goes to private so it was either a homestead or patent claim on the east side of section 14 leading up to Deer Mountain (Mystic Miner). Ate today at the Stage Stop Cafe at Cheyenne Crossing, good food, good fishing nearby as well.

 

[HOOAHEXTREME]

Any new rumors about Raspberry Mine?

 

[Tiredman]

In time will be working SD