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Presentation
Version 040808
Photograph by:
Neal Du Shane, Pilot: Gary Grant
Compiled and edited by: Neal Du Shane 04/29/06 Revised
04/08/08
Internet Edition -
Volume Two
Version 040808
Copyright © 2008 by Neal Du Shane
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Published by: Neal Du Shane, Fort Collins, CO 80525
Second Edition
Published in the
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Humbug, Arizona -
c. 1934 - Picture
Sign posted at main gate leading to
Humbug, AZ
Picture of: Guy Scott, Henry Cordes,
Newt White
Newt Whites room at Cordes, AZ
Humbug, Arizona
A
HISTORY OF HUMBUG
By: Dave Burns, November, 2001
Prehistory
Small pottery shards and matate fragments indicate previous habitation by Native Americans, but most evidence is gone.
- 1882 -
Charles Champie and family arrived and began mining gold on the Llano Claim. He excavated a shaft and tunnel, built two stone houses, mill site, well, and smelting furnace. The Llano workings produced about 2,000 ounces of gold.
He then developed a tunnel on the Sidewinder Claim about a mile east, recovering about 1,000 ounces of gold.
On the Mountain Chief Claim (later renamed El Pero Bonito) south of the 
Sidewinder, a pocket produced 5,000
ounces of gold.
At this point, Champie & Co. left Humbug and moved about two miles south to
Charles Champie House Photo by: Neal Du Shane
- 1920 -
Pat Fogarty was living and mining at Humbug when Frank Hyde, a wealthy easterner, was looking to invest in gold mining. They struck a partnership, with Hyde supplying the operation with a substantial infusion of capital. He built half a dozen new buildings, including a large house for himself and his family, miner's quarters, mess hall, assay office, and a cottage for Pat Fogarty, who was getting old.
Hyde's mining operation produced about $50,000 in gold, silver, copper, and lead. This included a 1,000 oz gold pocket from the Little Annie Claim. Production was not sufficient to cover expenses, however, and mining was discontinued in 1934.
- 1940 -
Newt White came to work for Frank Hyde about 1940 after having worked many years for
the Champie Ranch and other jobs including miner, mill operator,
cowboy, wrangler, mechanic, etc. He stayed on at Humbug as caretaker after Hyde moved to
- 1970 -
Frank Hyde's daughter, Carolyn, formed a small corporation
called Humbug Gold, Inc. with equal stockholders
herself, Newt White, and Dr. Robert Hurt, a
Courtesy
HUMBUG
DISTRICT
Humbug Mines –
Acknowledgement are due M.J. Elsing, C.L. Orem and F. de L. Hyde of Humbug Gold
Mines, Inc., for important information.
Situation and
history: The holdings of Humbug
Gold Mines Inc., in the
southwestern
Larry Gill - 2006 at the old Arastra in
In this area, gold mining
was carried on with the aid of arastra’s as early as 1880. From 1900 to 1905,
C.E. Champie operated a
4-stamp mill at Columbia, on Humbug Creek. Some ore was shipped but, during the early days when
Yuma was the nearest
shipping point, operations were greatly hampered by the inaccessibility of the
district. After 1905, only small-scale intermittent work was attempted until
1932 when the present operators started active development. According to Mr.
Elsing, test shipments of 207 tons of ore, mined from
surface cuts and tunnels on numerous veins, averaged approximately 1 ½ ounces
of gold and 3 ½ ounces of silver per ton, together with 3 ½ percent of lead. A
50-ton flotation and table concentrating mill was completed and put into
operation early in 1934. In February of that year, about eighty men were
employed on the property. Water for all purposes was pumped from a shallow well
near the bed of Humbug Creek, which normally is a perennial stream.
Topography
and geology: This ground, which lies within the drainage area of
Humbug Creek and its
branches, Rockwell and Carpenter creeks, has
been eroded into sharp ridges and alternating southward-trending canyons about
800 feet deep. The prevailing accordant summits of the main ridges appear to
represent dissected remnants of the early Tertiary, pre-lava pediment that extends south of Silver
Mountain.
Within this area,
the principal rocks consist of large bodies of mica schist, surrounded by
granite and intruded by numerous dies of pegmatite and rhyolitic to granitic
porphyry. The schist, granite, and pegmatite are regarded as Pre-Cambrian in
age, and the porphyry as Mesozoic or Tertiary.
The schistosity and
the dikes prevailingly strike northeastward. Considerable pre-mineral and post-mineral
faulting, principally of northeastward strike, is evident. Post-mineral faults
of great magnitude follow some of the main gulches.
Veins: The veins of the Humbug area occur within fault
fissures, mainly of northeastward strike and steep northwestward dip. Their
filling consists of massive to coarsely crystalline, grayish-white quartz,
together with irregular masses, vainlets, and disseminations of fine to
course-grained pyrite and galena, in places, arsenopyrite is abundant. A
notable about of sphalerite is reported in one vein.
Most of the gold is
contained within the iron minerals. The galena is reported to carry a little
gold and locally as mush as 40 ounces of silver per ton. Some free gold occurs
as irregular vainlets and particles within fractures and cavities in the
quartz. In the completely oxidized zone, which is generally of shallow
irregular depth all of the gold is free.
These veins range
in width from less than an inch up to 3 feet or more and persist of remarkably
long distances along the dike. One of them is traceable on the surface for more
than 9,000 feet. The ore shoots, which have been found to range from a few feet
to a few hundred feet in length, are reported to contain from 0.25 to 9 or more
ounces of gold per ton.
HUMBUG, AZ
The
Southern Bradshaw Mountain prospecting in the early 1860’s caused miners to
survey this area in search of new strikes. Humbug Creek got its name based on
the promise for good strikes, only to bust. Due to the fact prospecting on the
Creek turned out to be disappointing the “humbug” moniker was used to identify
the creek. During the 1870’s, solid placer deposits were found at Humbug and nearby
Columbia. In 1884 Humbug had a mill and associated building
relating to mine and mill. A post office opened in 1894
at Columbia and served Humbug and Columbia.
Photograph
Courtesy: Dave Burns
Humbug is one of the
most unspoiled and isolated examples of a historic
At
that time, the owner of Humbug Gold Mines was Frances “Frank” de Lacey Hyde, a New York Stock Broker who moved to Tucson in 1932.
Due to the area’s remote location,
transportation and scarcity of water issues; mining operations were minimal
until 1932. In 1932 the Humbug Gold Mines Inc., bought the
claims. Almost instantly Humbug area became home for about 100 hardy
individuals. The company had its own mill but shipped its concentrate for
smelting to
Kiln at Humbug – 2005 Photo
by:
Neal Du Shane
From Hyde’s point of view,
Humbug was not only a
gold (and later tungsten) endeavor. Humbug was Hyde’s definitive sanctuary.
Pictured above, he built a home at Humbug and eventually brought his wife,
Elizabeth, and daughter, Carolyn. Carolyn was known as “Tuffet,” and was brought for extended stays at the mine and
Tuffet became an
accomplished horsewoman. In the above picture Tuffet is seen holding a Polo
stick. An article in The Christian Science Monitor in April of
1944, when Tuffet was nearing her
fourteenth birthday, tells of Hyde and his daughter taking nighttime rides to
search for tungsten in scheelite with “mineral
lamps” that utilized ultraviolet rays. On one trip it began to rain heavily, Hyde and
Tuffet sought refuge in an old mine tunnel where a miner was making his home.
The miner bragged of the mine tunnel’s comforts, which included carbide lamp, radio and other living essentials of the era. The miner exclaimed he hadn’t seen one scorpion or rattlesnake
in the tunnel. Hyde turned on his blue light, scanned the tunnel, and four scorpions lit up the
dark. It’s uncertain the miner got another good night’s sleep in his formerly
secure abode, after Frank and Tuffet’s visit?
During
World War II, Mining at Humbug ceased. Tuffet Hyde, in 1947, was a student at the University of Arizona,
brought fellow classmate Ruth Gaisford to Humbug for a
visit. This was the first of many trips Tuffet and Ruth took, to the
magnificence and serenity of the Southern Bradshaw’s. In 1956 Frank Hyde, by then divorced, visited Humbug his last time.
Frank Hyde died in Tucson in 1973 at the
age of 75. Tuffet left her
one-third interest in Humbug when she died in 1989, to her lifelong friend Ruth
Gaisford. For Ruth, as it was for Frank and Tuffet Hyde, the town
is not a mine, but a priceless retreat that must be conserved.
Humbug Entrance 2005, Photo: Neal Du
Shane
In 2006, Humbug has six
buildings remaining, the Hyde’s’ main house in desperate need of repair, a
three-apartment guesthouse and foreman’s residence, an assay office, the
kitchen-dining building, and a stable with a corral. Humbug displays an
excellent example of dry stacking stone which is rarely found. Some uses are
functional, like the corral’ others are decorative, like the elaborate patio
and garden walls in front of the Hyde home. The ruins of several other
residences dot both sides of the creek one of which is pioneer Charlie
Champies’ home, near the kiln.
Mill Foundation, Photo: Neal Du
Shane
HUMBUG, AZ
Humbug, along with Columbia a distance of 2.24 miles down
stream, following the creek, came into existence during the early 1870's as
placer gold was found in Humbug Creek. A mill was constructed and the town operated until
the turn of the century. A caretaker resided at the mine for years and then
production started again. The town thrived and the mine was extensively worked
until the early 1930's. Warner Watkins, who had worked at Humbug in its later
years, told of what life was like when he had to drive to Wickenburg, a round
trip distance of 69 miles every night, to
get milk for the town, or how the miners would walk to Crown King (about 20 miles
uphill) every weekend to go to the saloon.
The Big House – c. 1930’s
Rod
Mill – Frank Hyde’s – Humbug, AZ
Frank Hyde’s Rod Mill –
Humbug, AZ c. 1930’s Photo: Courtesy Dave
Burns
PLEASE DO NOT TRESSPASS. Humbug is on private property and all roads dead end
at Humbug, if you are past the locked gate without permission you are
trespassing. After gaining permission to proceed through the locked gate,
panoramic Humbug comes into
view, as you round a bend to your left on the four-wheel drive road and look
down in the Humbug Creek Valley. There are still buildings standing and are
spaced out along the northern canyon above Humbug Creek. Remnants of former pioneer homes, including Humbug
Pioneer miner Charlie Champie, the Humbug Kiln, line the southern banks of
Humbug Creek.
Philip
Varney in Arizona’s Best Ghost Towns” writes “When I visited the site in May of
1979, it had been very recently abandoned, for in one building were playing
cards on the kitchen table and assorted remnant of foodstuffs in the cupboard.
But the droppings on the floor indicated that coyotes and rodents were the only
current residents. The building left me with the eerie impression that the last
tenants grew weary of cards and so decided to pack up; it all seemed so
spur-of-the moment. I kept expecting someone to step out of a bedroom to ask
what I was doing in his home, but the evidence that Humbug had been abandoned
was indisputable.”
The
main home of Frank Hyde in 2006 is in desperate need of repair and will not
survive unless attention is given as soon as possible. The roof is leaking
allowing the double adobe walls to decay. The miners apartment building
however, is still be quite comfortable and in good repair. Dave Burns the
present caretaker resided in this structure. Humbug is too attractive and
desirable a place to remain uninhabited. Dave’s goal it to open Humbug up for
tourist visits. Although the 5 miles of four wheel drive road to reach Humbug
will limit visitations by the novas.
Sign posted at
main gate leading to Humbug, AZ
NOTICE
THIS IS NOT THE ROAD TO CROWN KING !! Go back south five miles until you cross Cow Creek.
Then proceed north.
THIS IS NOT THE ROAD TO NEW RIVER !! Go back south one mile and then proceed east. Follow the sign indicating BLM, access.
DO NOT TRESPASS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
THIS ROAD DOES NOT GO THROUGH. It goes to the top of the next ridge and dead ends.
THIS IS PRIVATE PROPERTY. SOMEONE LIVES HERE. If you are interested in the history of the Humbug Mining District, and would like to see and hear about Humbug, call 480-899-7317 and arrange a time to visit. We are happy to show the ghost town and tell about the history.
In Arizona, trespassing on a mining property is a FELONY.
This property has open mines and other hazards. Damaging gate or signs constitutes public endangerment, which is a FELONY.
Persons caught committing a felony can be ARRESTED AND DETAINED BY FORCE until a deputy can be summoned.
Town Layout
Humbug Topographical Map
Courtesy of: Dave Burns
|
Courtesy of: Dave Burns |
Courtesy of: Dave Burns
Humbug Claims
|
Courtesy of: Dave Burns |
SOJOURN THROUGH HISTORY
By: Neal Du Shane
In 2005, the secret to having one of the most
enjoyable trips to a Ghost Town in Arizona is calling ahead and getting
permission to meet Dave Burns at the Ghost Town property of Humbug. He is
extremely knowledgeable, cordial, packing and will take you on one of the most
historic tours of the property that I’ve ever experienced.
Photos by: Neal Du
Shane
Photograph by: Neal Du Shane
Today the easiest way to access Humbug is to venture up the
Turn to the left and follow this road to Humbug. Along the way you will pass the site of “Old Columbia” and the two burials from a reported robbery for the two miner’s gold, at this location.
Continue west, and you will come to a corral with a sign posted “Dead End” on one of the fence posts. Continue approximately another half mile staying on the main road. There is a locked gate, so make sure Dave has made arrangements for you to gain access to the property.
As you travel past the unlocked
gate, and come around the corner, notice across the valley all the mining
roads, well, buildings, this then is the general area of Humbug, Arizona.
Continue traveling down this road toward Humbug Creek. The unique entrance to
Humbug is one of a kin