Sumpter Valley
Gold Dredge
Gold Dredges operated in the Sumpter Valley
1914-1954
The Monighan came to Sumpter in 1940. This 12 ton monster was used to dredge dry land on a large scale in the Sumpter Valley.
Need Gold Mining Equipment? Just Visit
Digger Dan at:
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"The Sumpter Gold Rush!"
"Ghosts and Gold in Eastern Oregon!"
The Gold Rush
According to legend, Gold was first discovered in the Elkhorn Mountains by Confederate Soldiers in 1862 who named their new town after historic Ft. Sumter in South Carolina thus giving birth to our historic gold town! The name was changed later to Sumpter by the U.S. Postal Service. Legend tells that the U.S. Postmaster ordered the spelling changed because of the Civil War Reference to Ft. Sumter. Regardless of how it was spelled, Sumpter was booming by the late 1890's growing to 1500. Of course the U.S. Census Bureau wasn't counting Chinese, or Women and Children at that time so that number could easily have been double. For more historical information please click here! Gold Mining still continues today with private Placer and Hard Rock Mines. Visitors enjoy trying their luck at panning for gold while staying in Sumpter! In case you forgot to pack your gold pan, don't worry, the friendly folks down at the Gold Dredge will loan you one of theirs free of charge! Or....if you're looking to do some serious gold mining while you're visiting Sumpter, check out
Cracker Creek Mining Camp
Sumpter has a rich gold mining heritage that is very much alive today! Visitors can try their luck at gold panning, placer mining and even bring their own floating dredge to work the local creeks and rivers. Looking for a unique vacation this year? Just bring the whole family to Sumpter for a gold mining adventure that will make your next vacation one to remember!
Questions about Gold Mining in Sumpter, Oregon?
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