When you think of mining in this part of California you probably think of gold. But right around the turn of the 20th century in the hills outside of Clovis - copper was king. Today on KVPR’s Central Valley Roots – the story behind the copper mines that once called the Fresno area home.
Fresno’s Copper Avenue gives you a hint that a century ago, copper was big business in this part of the state. At the east end of Copper Avenue, where the road ends at base of Owens Mountain sat the so-called Fresno Copper Mine. It was pioneered by John Heiskell in 1870, and was purchased by a company headquartered in Glasgow, Scotland.
Period reports indicate that the mine had two shafts, and later added a smelter. The mine was never especially profitable, and in 1906, news that it was deemed worthless caused a stir on the Glasgow Stock Exchange and made international headlines. While above ground structures of the mine are gone, you can still see the tailings today, near Armstrong Avenue.
Several miles away, near Tollhouse, another even more successful mine was established. The Copper King Mine was located off of Pittman Hill Road, near Wildcat Mountain. Around 1906, the mine claimed to process 50 tons of ore a day, which was hauled to Clovis by stable of 300 horses. But just like at the Fresno Copper Mine, the quality of the ore and the economics of mining it didn’t work out, and by the end of World War I, both mines had closed for good.
