Tumco Mine

Plaque Inscription:

Pete Walters of Ogilby discovered the first gold vein at Gold Rock on January 6, 1884. From his Little Mary Claim began a gold camp which reached its peak development between 1893 and 1899 as Hedges, with 3,200 residents. Nearly closed, 1900-10, it was reopened as Tumco, 1910-13, and worked intermittently until 1941. Tumco has long been a California ghost town.

Location: Imperial County on Gold Rack Ranch Rd, 1.0 mi E of County Hwy 834, 9.0 mi N of I-8, 4.5 mi NE of Ogilby.

GPS coordinates for plaque: 32˚52.909N – 114˚51.733W (JMP)

As you drive by the Imperial sand dunes on I-8 to the North you’ll see the brown Cargo Muchacho Mountains, named so for two boys that legend says brought gold nuggets to the Spanish 300 years ago. More recent gold discovery is attributed to a mule that strayed from a California bound wagon train in 1862 and his finder found a nugget at the site. Tumco is an acronym for ‘The Union Mine Company’, a consolidation of several later claims in the area, the main one being at the site of the town of Hedges. These were company towns and the minors worked and played hard and came away with little. One ledger account from 1897 shows a minor with a net income of $8 for working 30 days in August.

TUMCO MINE

Howdy do and welcome to you, this is the Tumco mine

Here’s your mining hat here’s where everything’s at, you’re gonna have a real fine time

Known as the town of Hedges, you’ll be makin’ three dollars a day

It’s a company town and rules abound, it’s a dollar a night to stay

Chours: Tumco mine the only mine discovered by a mule

Strayed from westbound wagon train in 1862

Put on your hat, get in the shaft and bring in the gold so fine

Dig around in ground and bring up the ore, workin’ at the Tumco mine

It’s a dollar a day to stay on our land, a shack will cost you more

Three dollars a day is a pretty good wage, this town will cost you four

We’ll be paying you in script and tokens, instead of paying cash

You’ll be working the mine, or with cyanide, or the stamp mill, don’t ask.

There’s a store here for provisions, and place we call the minor’s club

There’s beer and pool and a fight or two, and a cook to make you some grub

There’s a hospital in the middle of town, whitewashed and 40’ square

It’s easy to see and I guarantee. heat stroke will send you there