Old Smelter Site

(22 September 2017)

Armed with this photo of the ruins of an old smelter site taken by Bonnie Kane (local museum) in 1972, we set out to try to find the location on a warm summer afternoon (on 17th July 2017). Bonnie had described the approximate location of the site as being in upper San Emigdio Canyon, so we had a specific area in which to focus our search.

We anticipated it was going to be a difficult task to find this old smelter again. After the passage of 45 years, we assumed very little would be left of the old smelter works. For example, we expected most of the fire bricks to have been picked up over the decades by passing hikers as souvenirs. This turned out to be the case.

The photo gave us the false impression that the ruins were lying on a slope. So despite extensive searching of sloping ground in the area we were unsuccessful in finding the site during our first attempt. As the sun was dipping towards the surrounding mountain tops, we turned back home satisfied we'd given it our best shot. We'd have to try again another day.

We changed tactics on a second attempt two months later. There is a distinctive looking boulder seen in the background of the photo (top right), so we decided to try and find that boulder. This led us to an area on flat ground (not on a slope) that showed signs of substantial environmental damage because nothing was growing there. On closer inspection, this turned out to be the site of the old smelter we were looking for.

The old smelter (or what is left of it) is located about 100 yards north-west of San Emigdio Creek measured from the junction where two creeks meet. This junction is where the main trail heading to Wind Wolves crosses San Emigdio Creek, so it is a distinctive spot. The creek coming from the east side flows from a swampy area to the north of the Whitener Tree that starts higher up the canyon near the old youth camp below "the Y" intersection. This adjoining creek roughly follows Mil Potrero Highway as it descends from "the Y" toward Pine Mountain Club and drains that watershed. On topo maps, this creek is named San Emigdio Creek so it is the main creek which usually flows year round. The other adjoining creek flows down from the Nesthorn area of Pine Mountain Club and is often dry lower down. It is an unnamed tributary (or if it has a name, I'm unaware of what it is).

Very little evidence remains to identify the site. There were no whole fire bricks remaining on the surface. The main evidence found were some broken pieces of fire bricks and samples of slag.

A fragment of a fire brick found at this site. It measures 4-inches, by 3-inches, by 2-inches. The three flat surfaces are at 90-degrees to each other. It is not a freak of Nature as there is nothing else like it in terms of size, color, weight, composition etc. in the natural rocks and geology found in that area. This fire brick looks similar to the fire bricks to be found at another smelter site which is a mile further down San Emigdio Canyon. Those smelters were built around 1878 by Boushey & Co. So this gives us a reference to help with dating other smelters in the area.