Turtle Mountains-Sunrise District

Perhaps as early as 1862, rich gold and copper deposits were being worked in the Turtle Mountains. While little is known about this early activity and the precise date of its beginning these mines were located when the nearby Planet and Rawhide mines in Arizona were in operation which suggests a period from 1862 to 1884. 76

About 1900, some of the old mines were reactivated. Also, a number of new prospects were developed and several mining camps were established. In the northern part of the range, the Sunrise District was located, suggesting that the old mines were located in the southern part of the Turtle Mountains. 77

Sunrise Camp was established in 1906, in a remote spot on the west central part of the Stepladder Mountains (then known as the Sheep Mountains). In January, 1898, J. C. Clennel, metallurgist for the Charles Butters Company of Johannesburg, South Africa, took some 2,000 pounds of rock for testing. He was pleased at his findings, and offered the owners, the Monumental Gold Mining and Milling Company of St. Louis, Missouri, a liberal offer to begin developing the mines. Some work was accomplished, including the sinking of a 120 foot shaft in which water was struck. This was the source of water for the camp that sprang up here in April, 1906. 78

Carson's Well on the north end of the range used to be known as Mesquite Springs, until a man named Kit Carson, who claimed to be the grandson of the original Kit Carson named the spring after himself. In 1912, this Kit Carson was involved with the mining in the Whipple Wash area. Tom Schofield had a mine named the Mountain King 4 miles from this well in the 1930s. 79

In 1908, the Horn Copper Mine on the southeastern side of the range, was active. In 1951 and 1952, about 200 tons of ore was mined from this property, and it was active again in 1958. 80