The Mining History of South Mountain - Revisited

Destination Arizona
B. Thomas Cooper
Editor


South Mountain, the vast mountain range south of central Phoenix boasts miles of trails, and boundless recreational opportunity, but its rugged interior wasn’t always ideal for a family outing. In fact, South Mountain has changed little since its hardscrabble days as the second largest gold producer in Maricopa County.


Towers at South Mountain

Nine miles from the heart of down town Phoenix, South Mountain Park serves as a backdrop for the growing, ever diverse, Valley of the Sun. At nearly seventeen thousand acres, it remains the largest municipal park in the US, and for many visitors, its rugged allure is difficult to resist.

Some come to South Mountain to test their hiking skills among the nearly 60 miles of scenic trails. Others visit to experience the magnificent view of the valley from atop Dobbins Point, 2330 feet above sea level. There is always a virtual plethora of wildlife and desert fauna to delight the eye, and limitless recreational possibilities.

Spectacular petroglyphs, located throughout the park, tell of long lost cultures that once inhabited the region, including the Hohokam, dating back to 300 AD. The Hohokam built over 130 miles of canals throughout the valley, diverting water from the nearby Salt River to irrigate crops.

In 1867, Jack Swilling, with the help of others, established Salt River Project, repairing the ancient Hohokam canals and digging new ones, returning water to the dry valley floor. Soon, the valley sprang back to life. Darrell Duppa, an associate of Swilling suggested naming the fledgling city after the mythical Phoenix Bird, a splendid winged creature that arose from its own ashes. The name stuck, and the city of Phoenix was officially incorporated on Feb. 15, 1881.


South Mountain Cultural Center

By the late 1800’s however, it wasn’t just water attracting new residents to the valley. Mining was becoming big business in the Arizona territory. With statehood (and air conditioning) still years away, the main attraction within the rocky range south of Phoenix was gold! Claims for gold, silver, copper and other precious metals sprang up throughout the region. South Mountain was no exception.

By February of 1900, while William McKinley was beginning his ill-fated second term as US President, George and Nora McClarty were filing the earliest known claim within South Mountain, the Richmond, along the northern face of the range. Several more claims soon followed in the San Juan Valley southwest of Central Avenue, including the Maximillian and Delta claims. By 1909, these claims, collectively known as the Max Delta Mine, had produced over $30,000 in gold and thousands more in other precious metals.


Petroglyphs

Although the mines were never consistent, nor particularly profitable, they were numerous and remained productive for many years. By 1913, shafts had been dug to depths exceeding 500 feet, and ore was shipped by pack train, and then by wagon to an arrastre near the Gila River.

Conditions for the miners were miserable. There was no running water at the mines, and ice had to be hauled in from Phoenix. An unskilled laborer could expect to earn two dollars for a days’ effort. Experienced miners earned about double. A boarding camp was erected on sight, consisting of a few small structures and no real amenities of which to speak. Life was hard.

The mines’ shareholders seldom fared much better. The Max Delta changed hands often, with each new owner facing similar obstacles. In 1914, as the First World War erupted, many miners found fighting in the trenches of Europe preferable to digging for gold. For a time, the mines went silent.


South Mountain Park

By the early 1920’s, residents of the valley were beginning to appreciate the recreational value of the rugged range south of Phoenix. In 1921, a group of prominent citizens led by Carl Hayden began a campaign to promote the mountain’s natural attributes. James C. Dobbins, Chairman of the Parks Committee for the city of Phoenix, convinced city commissioners of the need for preserving and protecting the land, and in June of 1924, the 68th Congress passed an act transferring ownership of the range from the federal government to the City of Phoenix for $1.25 per acre.

Mining did not cease in the park, however. Although the act of 1924 specifically stated the park was for recreational purposes, the federal government still held the mineral rights, which allowed for prospecting and removal of minerals from the park.

During the 1930s, with depression gripping much of the nation, mining and prospecting returned to South Mountain with renewed interest. Indeed, the year 1935 proved to be the most productive for the mines. That year, the Max Delta was the fourth largest producer of gold in the US, and the second largest producer of gold in Maricopa County, yielding 1,423 ounces. The Vulture Mine, west of Wickenburg, produced the greatest quantity in the county, yielding 1,802 ounces of gold.


Max Delta Mine

Mining continued at South Mountain, although sporadically, for many more years. Eventually, through a procession of lawsuits and legal challenges, the mines would close. Finally, in 1993, the City of Phoenix received the deeds to the remaining patented claims on the property, and set about rehabilitating the land.


Max Delta Mine

Most of the old claims no longer present a threat to park visitors. The adits and entrances have long been bulldozed or dynamited, leaving little or no trace of the old mines. Ironically, much remains of the Max Delta. Its bulkhead and massive tailings are still quite visible from nearly any view along the San Juan Valley. The old road leading to the mine is no longer accessible, and visitors are discouraged from curiosity. Still, the remnants of the Max Delta Mine remain a reminder of a near forgotten era, when an outing to South Mountain was no family picnic.

Destination Arizona
Destination Arizona

Mesa Grande Pueblo Ruins

Destination Arizona
B. Thomas Cooper
Editor


The Mesa Grande Pueblo Ruins, located in downtown Mesa, Arizona were once occupied by the Hohokam Indians, responsible for constructing massive canal systems, still providing water to the Valley of the Sun, hundreds of years after the Hohokam mysteriously vanished.


Mesa Grande Ruins

The Hohokam inhabited the northern Sonora desert region known as the ‘Phoenix Basin’ for centuries before the arrival of the European explorers. They constructed extensive canals and irrigation networks, rivaling those of Ancient Egypt and China. These industrious peoples cultivated a variety of crops, including tobacco, cotton, beans, squash, maize and agave.

John Bartlett, Arizona pioneer, was one of the early explorers of the region to document the ruins at Mesa Grande, writing the following about his experience:

"(July 4, 1852) ...A ride of a mile brought us to the table-land, when we made for a large mound or heap which arose from the plain. In crossing the bottom we passed many irrigating canals; and along the base of the plateau was one from twenty to twenty-five feet wide, and from four to five feet deep, formed by cutting down the bank—a very easy mode of construction, and which produced a canal much more substantial than if carried across the bottom".



"On reaching the great pile, I found it to be the remains of an adobe edifice from two hundred to two hundred and twenty-five feet in length, by from sixty to eighty feet wide, its sides facing the cardinal points. Portions of the wall were visible in only two places, one near the summit, at the south end, where, from the height of the pile, it must have originally been three or four stories high; and the other at the northern extremity, on the western side...From the summit of the principle heap, which is elevated from twenty to twenty-five feet above the plain, there may be seen in all directions similar heaps; and about a mile to the east, I noticed a long range of them running north and south, which the Indians said were of similar character to that on which we stood."



Today, little of Mesa Grande remains. A fence has been erected around the perimeter of the ruins, and not much can be seen from the roadway. Few residents in the neighborhood are even aware of the ruin’s existence. A sad state of affairs for a culture responsible for so much innovation. Without the canals, the valley would have remained uninhabitable.

Destination Arizona
Destination Arizona

Mayan Influence on Sonoran Desert Culture

Destination Arizona
B. Thomas Cooper
Editor


Experts believe the Mayan Indians played an important roll in the cultural advancement of the Sonora Desert region. The Mayas were among the most sophisticated peoples of the pre-Columbian era, credited with having developed written language as well as a complex and amazingly accurate calendar. Even before the discovery of metallurgy, the Maya were able to erect extraordinary structures using only stone and a simple form of mortar. The glory days of the Maya are gone now, but examples of their genius remain for us to appreciate.


Mayan Calendar

One such example of classic Maya genius is evident in their use of the Corbel Arch, a forerunner of the modern arch, and a huge engineering advancement for the period. Cut stones were arranged to form an upside-down ‘V’ shaped entryway, primarily supported by the weight (counter-weight) of the stones themselves.

The Maya were deeply spiritual, honoring their gods with extravagant works of art. Although the jungle has reclaimed much of what was once the Mayan empire, many examples of their culture remain. Because so many of these works were carved into solid stone, much of this artwork has survived the ravages of time, providing a glimpse into the daily lives of these amazing people. Recently, (Aug. 2008) a team of archaeologists uncovered a tunnel within a network of caves and sinkholes in central Mexico, leading to several previously unexplored Mayan buildings. According to translation from the ‘Popol Vuh‘, the sacred book of the Maya, this is the underground city of Xibalba, and represents one of the more important finds in Mayan history.

The Mayan Florescent period was perhaps their most creative era, producing impressive sculpture, hieroglyphs, pottery and exquisite figurines. These objects were created using essentially Neolithic techniques, relying on stone tools, made from granite, quartzite, limestone, obsidian and flint. Stones were utilized for a variety of tools. Some were split and hafted to create chisels and axes. Other were used for grinding, scraping and drilling purposes. Even after the discovery of metallurgy, metal tools remained rare in Mayan culture for many years.

Mayan builders utilized plumb lines, levels and other methods for squaring their structures, allowing for the construction of impressive temples, (Teocalli, or 'God House') and pyramids, many which still stand. A form of limestone based plaster was often applied to the exterior of buildings, creating a beautiful, white façade. Unfortunately, this process required burning excessive amounts of timber, resulting in deforestation, leading to a plethora of problems for the indigenous people, and perhaps contributing to their eventual downfall.

Indeed, the Mayans were an industrious people, and their contributions numerous. Although, as a society of peoples, they have vanished from existence, their legacy remains.

B. Thomas Cooper

Destination Arizona
Destination Arizona