🇺🇸 Southern California’s Abandoned Gold Mine

📍 Eagle Mining Company, Julian, CA In the winter of 1869, Fred Coleman discovered gold in what is now known as Coleman Creek. This discovery quickly sparked the only true gold rush in San Diego County and led to the founding of the town of Julian as we know it today. 🏔️💫 The Eagle Mine, nestled halfway up the mountains near Julian, extended hundreds of meters into the earth by the 1890s, producing up to 10 tons of quartz per day, which was later refined into gold, silver, and copper. ⛏️💰 Due to declining gold prices, the mine gradually ceased operations in the 1940s and remained silent for over two decades. Initially, miners believed the shutdown was only temporary, so the interior facilities were remarkably well-preserved. In the 1960s, a local couple, Ed and Ellen Sprague, purchased the abandoned mining rights. They restored the tunnels, wooden rails, and steam-powered ore crushers to their 19th-century glory and opened the site for tourism in 1968. 🚂🌄 Tours are now available for $15 per person—no reservation required! #HistoricalTraces #SouthernCalifornia #SanDiego #GoldMine #ExploreCalifornia #HiddenHistory #OldWestVibes #TravelBackInTime