If one accesses the road to Howland Flat from the route that passes by the La Porte cemetery, one will pass over the following bridge after dropping down into the canyon:
I will discuss this bridge and its surroundings further in a future article. I use it here only as a point of reference.
Now, assuming one remains on this route and continues toward Howland Flat, one will eventually pass by this area pictured below (on the left if you’re going toward Howland Flat and, of course, on the right if you are returning). By the way, the photo below is courtesy of Lewis who took a better picture of the site than I did:
“This area” is where the town of Grass Flat used to be. And as you can see, a considerable amount of hydraulic mining took place here. Unfortunately, it was only after returning from my last trip that I learned of Grass Flat. I’ve driven by this site several times, but never knew what it was or realized its significance. Consequently, I have not explored down there before.
Contrary to the image it conjures, Grass Flat was actually named for a prominent member of the Sons of Temperance, Mr. S.S. Grass, who lived in the area by 1860. At its height, the town had a general merchandise store, two boarding houses – one for the Chinese miners, another for Caucasians, a sawmill, saloon, hotel, Chinese store and even a baseball team.
However, by the time hydraulic mining ended during World War II, much of this area two-thirds of a mile northeast of Queen City had been “piped away” by the hydraulic monitors, leaving behind enormous barren pits and little evidence of its early life.
When we drove by in June 2010, I noticed a couple of structures on the edge of the open area that appeared as if they were occupied from time to time. I don’t know if someone is actively looking for gold on the site now or if this is simply someone that filed a mining claim in order to obtain a cheap summer vacation spot.
According to what information I have, the majority of the hydraulic mining took place in the 1870s and the primary mine at the site was the Pioneer Hydraulic Mine.
There is also supposedly a 1500-foot drainage tunnel here that channels water into Slate Creek, but I haven’t looked for it (yet).
Mines that are/were present at Grass Flat include the Atkinson (Jack) Claims, Baker Mine (Colonel), Big Channel Mining Company, Chief Company (Chief City, Indian Chief), Comet Tunnel (Iseman & Company), Gardner & Company (Gardner’s Point, Challenge Mine), Grass Flat Company, Hackett & Wagner Claims, Manzanita Mine (Pacific Company), Miller & Company, Mitler & Company, Pioneer, Riffle Placer, Treasure Drift Mine and the Triangle Mining Company (Never Sweat, Jack Cayote).
Water ditches located near Grass Flat were the Burk Ditch , the Old Ditch and the Grass Flat Ditch.
Grass Flat is one more monument to human greed and stupidity; the sloppy, not-too-surgical removal of entire mountains, often irreversible downslope environmental damage, massive mercury poisoning of rivers and streams, and entire landscapes scarred beyond recovery in the span of multiple generations. Places like Grass Flat are often celebrated by local chambers of commerce as historical landmarks to be preserved for our future generation’s appreciation for the hardiness of the region’s pioneers. Or, to be recognized as the gross examples of excess that they are.
Well man… from one person’s point of view, the world ends the moment he/she dies… life’s ending quickly… every minute… every clock tick… every moment… brings THE END closer… that’s the way it is… :)