We didn't expect to find this many buildings at this abandoned ghost town high on the top of a mountain. This place will probably not be around much longer as it appears natural erosion may cause many of the buildings to collapse.
We didn't know it at the time, but we took the hard road in. There is a much easier road just over the top of the mountain.
In the summer of 1936, president Hoover visited the mine site. He offered to purchase the mine for $1,000,000 dollars, but the Austin's declined they figured the government would take half of the money in taxes.
"By 1936, the rich mine was becoming famous – first by word of mouth then by news articles. Austin received two substantial offers to purchase the mine, one from former President Herbert Hoover.
Although Hoover is generally remembered for having been at the helm as the country drifted into the Great Depression, few realize he got his start in life as a miner who made his millions investing in gold mines. He once famously remarked that a man who had not made a million by 40 years old was not worth much.
Hoover was impressed by what he saw at the Jumbo Mine, and legend has it he made the owner an offer of $1 million, but George Austin declined to sell. "
Correction, the Austin's founded a hotel and general store in Jungo, which is a few miles from here. They moved there from San Francisco after living through the 1906 earthquake. It's said the wife was so stressed out from the earthquake that all her hair fell out.
The Austins bought the right to the Jumbo Mine and made a fortune.
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