LOCATION

COUNTY:Cleburne County

STATE:Alabama

Fifty years after the discovery of gold, nearly 30,000 ounces were produced in Cleburne county, mostly in the Arbacoochee district in the southern part of the county. Since 1890 Cleburne county has been idle. Most of the gold came from placer deposits near Gold Hill and Clear Creek. In the Hillabee area there are quartz veins containing gold, but they are too low in value to be mined. All area streams and their tributaries in the Arbacoochee Mining District, which includes the northern part of Randolph County, is reportedly the richest placer ground in Alabama. All area streams and tributaries in the Chulafinnee Mining District, west of the Arbacoochee District, had significant early placer mining operations.

In the town of Arbacoochee about 10 mile south of Heflin on route 9 and county road 19 about 9 miles from the Randolph county line, was a major gold district overlapping into Randolph County. The Anna Howe Mines was the first gold bearing quartz discovery in Alabama. The Marion White Property was once a major source of rich specimen ore. The Bennefield Property consisting of open cuts, low grade lode gold. The Sutherland Property was extensively worked and the site of a 10 stamp mill. The Eckles Property consisted of 40 acres with 100 foot shaft in a quartz vein in decomposed schist. The Middlebrook Property is reported to have rich panning.

The Chulafinnee district adjoins the Arbacoochee district on the south by southwest areas. Along Chulafinnee Creek and its tributaries, the Chulafinnee placers, was gold rich gravels under 6 foot of overburden. The King Mine consisted of a pit of 2,500 square foot in schist laced with quartz veins and was the site of old stamp mill. The Stripling Property consist of shallow cuts showing quartz stringers in schist which panned well, and adjoining on the NE, to the Higginbottom Property, similar, with rich panning at surface. 3 miles west of Chulafinnee, Rev. Mr. King s Property had decomposed quartz and was site of a 10 stamp mill. The Carr Creek Placer is 240 acres of clay and gravel that contains placer gold. Area watercourse gravels and sands contain placer gold. The Hicks-Wise Mine was 110 ft., deepest shaft in state, and the Lee Mine, quartz vein in slate, was rich lode gold deposit. The Valdor Property contained rich lode gold deposits. The Arbacoochee Placer was the most extraordinary gold placer deposit in Alabama, covering 600 acres on top and sides of Gold Hill, once giving employment to 600 men. The Clear Creek placers were long famed for its rich production. The Golden Eagle (Prince) Mine consisted of a 75 foot shaft and was the site of a stamp mill. The Crown Point. Property was the site of 10 stamp mill in 1893, and had pay ore in "chimneys". The Ayers Prospect was just east of Blake Cemetery, no mining done but good showings in some pits. The Mossback Property and the Wood's Hole Copper Mine were the first paying copper discoveries in Alabama, under an iron gossan with a by product of gold. The Pritchet Property had panning gold.