Malheur County


China Creek. China Creek flows southeast into Malheur River about 1.5 miles southwest of the community of Harper. It is within the Malheur Basin Mining District. Reference: Eastern Oregon Mining Association. 1999. U.S.G.S. quadrangle, 7.5’ series, South Mountain, Oregon, 1990.

China Gulch. The intermittent stream in China Gulch flows northeast into the Owyhee River approximately 1.5 miles southeast of the community of Rome. The gulch is within the Malheur Mining District. Reference: Eastern Oregon Mining Association. 1999. U.S.G.S. quadrangle, 7.5’ series, Scott Reservoir, Oregon, 1972.

China Rock. China Rock is a cliff on the north side of Petes Mountain at 4291 feet above sea level. China Rock is 1 ½ miles south of the community of Beulah. The cliff is within the Malheur Mining District. Reference: Eastern Oregon Mining Association. 1999; U.S.G.S. quadrangle, 7.5’ series, Petes Mountain, Oregon,1980.

China Rock Fence. China Rock Fence is approximately ¼ mile west of China Rock. It is within the Malheur Mining District. Reference: Eastern Oregon Mining Association. 1999; “Notice of Field Manager’s Proposed Decision” 2007: 34; U.S.G.S. quadrangle, 7.5’ series, Petes Mountain, Oregon, 1980.

Eldorado Town. County records and map information indicate that Chinese gold miners worked throughout the area surrounding Eldorado Town. Reference: Steeves 1984: 200; U.S.G.S. quadrangle, 7.5’ series, Bridgeport, Oregon, 1990.

Humboldt Chinatown. Humboldt Chinatown was in the community of Humboldt, itself shown as Humboldt Basin on current maps, located in Mormon Basin. The Chinatown was as ephemeral as the gold deposits in the area. Reference: McConnell 1979; U.S.G.S. quadrangle, 7.5’ series, Mormon Basin, Oregon, 1990.

Iron Gulch. Iron Gulch is an intermittent stream that joins Willow Creek about two miles south of Malheur City. County records and map information indicates Chinese miners worked the area. Reference: Steeves 1984: U.S.G.S. quadrangle, 7.5’ series, Bridgeport, Oregon, 1990.

Jordan Creek Chinese Massacre. Jordan Creek in Jordan Valley was the location of the murder of approximately 50 Chinese who were travelling to the Owyhee mines in 1864. Paiute Indians were thought to have been the culprits. Reference: Hanley and Lucia.1980: 15, 53, 212; “History of the Avalanche.” n.d.

Malheur City Chinatown. Malheur City Chinatown started as a result of the gold mining in the area. The Chinatown and Malheur City itself were in the heart of the Malheur/Mormon Basin Mining Districts. Historical records indicate Chinese ownership of mining rights and property within the town. The population of Malheur City Chinatown increased when the Eldorado Ditch Company moved to Malheur City. It employed Chinese laborers, possibly as many as 1000, to dig the ditch. (See Eldorado Ditch, Baker County). Reference: Steeves 1984: 118: U.S.G.S. quadrangle, 7.5’ series, Bridgeport, Oregon, 1990; Wegars 1995: 57.

Mormon Basin Chinatown Mormon Basin Chinatown was located along the present-day road that runs between Clarks Creek and Amelia, near the Rye Valley Road intersection. It consisted of five dwellings that housed Chinese miners who worked the area’s placer deposits beginning in the mid 1860s. Reference: SWCA Environmental Consultants 2011 (revised).

Mormon Basin Creek. Mormon Basin Creek is a seasonal creek that flows southward into Will Creek near Huntington Junction. It is within the Mormon Basin Mining District. Mormon Basin Creek appears as Basin Creek on current U.S.G.S. Series 7.5’ maps. Baker County records and map information indicate Chinese mining activity along the creek. Reference: Eastern Oregon Mining Association. 1999. Steeves 1984: 200; U.S.G.S. quadrangle, 7.5’ series, Mormon Basin, Oregon, 1990.

Poison Root Gulch. Poison Root Gulch is an intermittent stream northeast of Eldorado Town. It is within the Mormon Basin Mining District and has been the site of extensive gold mining. Baker County records and map information indicate the Chinese worked the area. Reference: Eastern Oregon Mining Association. 1999. Steeves 1984: 200; U.S.G.S. quadrangle, 7.5’ series, Bridgeport, Oregon, 1990.

Quartz Gulch. Quartz Gulch is between Iron Gulch and Cottonwood Gulch, southwest of Malheur City, within the Mormon Basin Mining District. Baker County records indicate that Chinese operated placer mines in the area. Reference: Eastern Oregon Mining Association. 1999. Steeves 1984: 200; U.S.G.S. quadrangle, 7.5’ series, Bridgeport, Oregon, 1990.

Rich Creek. Rich Creek is an intermittent stream northwest of Eldorado and within the Mormon Basin Mining District. Mining activity is evident through the area. Baker County records and map information indicate that the Chinese worked the area. Reference: Eastern Oregon Mining Association. 1999. Steeves 1984: 200; U.S.G.S. quadrangle, 7.5’ series, Bridgeport, Oregon, 1990.

References Eastern Oregon Mining Association. 1999. Oregon Gold Mining: Grant County Gold Districts. http://www.h2oaccess.com/ Accessed November 21, 2010.

Hanley, Mike and Ellis Lucia. 1980. Owyhee Trails. Caldwell, Idaho: Caxton printers, Ltd.

“History of the Avalanche.” n.d. http://www.owyheepublishing.com/history.php/ Accessed 1/23/11.

“Notice of Field Manager’s Proposed Decision. 2007." U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management. http://blm.gov/or/districts/vale/plans/files/NFMGMAlDecisions.pdf/ Accessed December 18, 2010.

Steeves, Laban R. 1984. “Chinese Gold Miners of Northeastern Oregon, 1862-1900.” Masters thesis. University of Oregon.

SWCA Environmental Consultants. 2011 (revised). Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Mineral Valley Mormon Basin Placer Gold Mining Operation. Portland, Oregon: SWCA Environmental Consultants. http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/vale/plans/files/Final DOI-BLM-OR-V050_2009-EA.pdf/ Accessed March 8, 2011.

U.S.G.S. Quadrangle, 7.5’ series, Bridgeport, Oregon, 1990.

________. Quadrangle, 7.5’ series, Mormon Basin, Oregon, 1990.

________. Quadrangle, 7.5’ series, Petes Mountain, Oregon, 1980.

________. Quadrangle, 7.5’ series, Scott Reservoir, Oregon, 1972.

________. Quadrangle, 7.5’ series, South Mountain, Oregon, 1990.

Wegars, Priscilla. 1995. The Ah Hee Diggings: Final Report of the Archaeological Investigations at OR-GR-16, the Granite, Oregon “Chinese Walls” Site, 1992-1994. Moscow, Idaho: University of Idaho Anthropology Reports.

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