The Lost Cement Mine is one of California’s most enduring legends from the Gold Rush era, a tale of fabulous wealth hidden in the rugged terrain of the eastern Sierra Nevada. First discovered in 1857, this elusive gold vein has captivated prospectors, adventurers, and historians for over a century. Described as a ledge of rusty, reddish “cement” laced with pure gold, the mine’s story is steeped in mystery, misfortune, and the allure of untold riches. This report explores the historical context, discovery, subsequent searches, and enduring legacy of the Lost Cement Mine, drawing on primary accounts and historical records to separate fact from folklore.
Historical Context: The California Gold Rush
The discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill in 1848 sparked the California Gold Rush, drawing over 80,000 prospectors to the region by 1849 alone. Miners scoured the Sierra Nevada and other areas, extracting millions in gold through placer mining and, later, hard-rock mining. By 1853, gold yields peaked at over $81 million, but the rush also left behind thousands of abandoned claims and tales of “lost mines” when prospectors died, fell ill, or lost their way. The Lost Cement Mine emerged in this frenzied era, its legend fueled by the promise of easy wealth in a landscape where gold seemed to lie just beneath the surface.
The Discovery of the Lost Cement Mine
In 1857, two German prospectors traveling with a California-bound wagon train reportedly separated from their group near the headwaters of the Owens River in the eastern Sierra Nevada. While resting near a stream in what one described as “the burnt country,” they stumbled upon a peculiar ledge of red lava rock studded with lumps of gold, resembling cement in the miners’ parlance of the time. One prospector, skeptical of the find, laughed as his companion collected about ten pounds of ore and drew a crude map of the location. Misfortune struck during their journey: one broke his leg and was left to die, while the survivor, weakened by exhaustion, reached the mining camp of Millerton. There, suffering from tuberculosis, he sought treatment from Dr. Randall, paying him with the ore and the map before succumbing to his illness.
Dr. Randall and the Search for the Mine
Dr. Randall, intrigued by the gold-laden ore, shared the story with friends and organized a prospecting expedition in 1861 to Pumice Flat, approximately eight miles north of Mammoth Canyon near Mono Lake. Accompanied by his assistant Gid Whiteman and other miners, Randall’s party reportedly extracted several thousand dollars’ worth of gold from a ledge, believed to be the Lost Cement Mine. However, the Owens Valley Indian War (1861–1867) disrupted their efforts, as tensions with the Paiute people escalated due to the influx of prospectors. The two German discoverers were allegedly killed by Native Americans, and the mine’s precise location was lost. Word of the find spread, sparking a frenzy among miners in nearby camps like Monoville and Mammoth City.
James W.A. Wright’s Account and Speculation
In 1879, James W.A. Wright, a former Confederate officer and Princeton graduate, published a series of articles in the San Francisco Daily Evening Post detailing his travels through Mono County’s mining camps. Wright speculated that the Lost Cement Mine might have been located across the Sierra Crest, near Devils Postpile, and suggested it had been secretly mined for years before the site was concealed by destroying a mining cabin. His detailed descriptions of the terrain between Monoville and Mammoth City, combined with hearsay from local prospectors, added credibility to the legend. Wright’s work, later compiled into the book The Lost Cement Mine by Richard Lingenfelter, remains a key source, blending firsthand observation with speculative lore.
Mark Twain and the Cultural Impact
The allure of the Lost Cement Mine even drew the attention of Mark Twain, who recounted his own midnight expedition to find it in his 1872 book Roughing It. Accompanied by sketches from the first edition, Twain’s humorous account of his fruitless search underscores the mine’s grip on the public imagination. The legend inspired countless prospectors, with stories of gold “as thick as raisins in a fruit cake” fueling searches well into the 20th century. A historical marker erected in 1980 by the Bodie Chapter of E Clampus Vitus near Owens River Road in Crestview commemorates the mine, noting its discovery in 1857 and periodic rediscoveries until 1877, though its location remains a secret.
Geological and Historical Plausibility
The Lost Cement Mine’s description as a gold-laden ledge of red igneous rock raises geological questions. Most gold deposits in the Sierra Nevada occur in quartz veins or placer deposits, not in cement-like matrices. However, as noted in historical accounts, gold can appear in unexpected forms, and similar “cement-like” gold deposits have been documented elsewhere, such as the Lost White Cement Mine in Colorado and the Lost Mine of Manly Peak in Death Valley. The eastern Sierra’s volcanic history, particularly around Mammoth Lakes, supports the possibility of igneous rock hosting gold, though no definitive evidence confirms the mine’s existence. The region’s mining camps, including Dogtown, Mammoth City, and Bodie, thrived on real gold discoveries, suggesting the legend may have a factual basis.
Legacy and Modern Interest
The Lost Cement Mine remains a potent symbol of the Gold Rush’s promise and peril. Its story has been perpetuated through books, historical markers, and personal accounts, such as a 1950s recollection of a prospector’s father finding a cement-like creek bed near Mono Lake. Today, the mine is part of California’s rich tapestry of lost treasure legends, alongside others like the Lost Pegleg Mine. While modern prospectors occasionally search the Ritter Range or the San Joaquin River’s headwaters, the mine’s elusiveness endures, partly due to the region’s dense forests and rugged terrain. The Bureau of Land Management notes that California hosts approximately 47,000 abandoned mine sites, many posing safety hazards, underscoring the challenges of exploring such areas.
Conclusion
The Lost Cement Mine encapsulates the hope, hardship, and mystery of California’s Gold Rush era. From its 1857 discovery by two ill-fated German prospectors to its tantalizing rediscoveries and ultimate concealment, the mine’s legend has endured through accounts like those of Dr. Randall, James W.A. Wright, and Mark Twain. While its geological plausibility remains debated, the mine’s cultural and historical significance is undeniable, inspiring generations to chase dreams of hidden gold in the Sierra Nevada. As a historical marker near Mammoth Lakes wryly suggests, if you stumble upon a ledge of gold, the E Clampus Vitus would appreciate a call to relocate their monument—perhaps the closest we’ll come to finding the Lost Cement Mine.
Bibliography
- Wright, James W.A. The Lost Cement Mine. Edited by Richard Lingenfelter, 1984.
- “Lost Cement Mine.” Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Cement_Mine.
- Weiser-Alexander, Kathy. “Lost Cement Gold Mine of Mammoth Mountain, California.” Legends of America, www.legendsofamerica.com.
- “Lost Cement Mine Historical Marker.” Historical Marker Database, www.hmdb.org.
- “The Legend of the Lost Cement Mine.” Amusing Planet, www.amusingplanet.com.
- “Abandoned Mines in California.” U.S. Department of the Interior, www.doi.gov.