Francis Marion “Borax” Smith
In the early 1870s, Francis Marion Smith began recovering borax from surface marshes in the Death Valley region. By the 1880s, he had partnered with William T. Coleman and eventually acquired Coleman's borax holdings.Smith went on to found the Pacific Coast Borax Company, which became known for its use of 20-mule teams to haul borax across the desert. Later, he built the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad to serve his expanding mining operations. His success in the borax industry earned him the nicknames "Borax Smith" and "the Borax King." He was one of many enterprising figures who adapted to new mining technologies to stay ahead in a changing industry.
Borax
Coleman
Tonopah & Tidewater
Harmony
20-Mule Teams
Borate & Marion
Francis Marion "Borax" Smith
Courtesy the Oakland History Room of the Oakland Public Library