Cluggage and Poole

Following the first discovery of gold in Oregon on Josephine Creek, in late December of 1851 or early January of 1852, packers John R. Poole and James Cluggage who owned a company called Jackass Freight, were packing supplies from the Willamette Valley to Sacramento, California. The two men decided to camp near the present site of Jacksonville, Oregon. Needing water for their animals, the two men headed up the gulch (a tributary of Daisy Creek) and choosing a likely looking place, began digging a hole in the hope that it would fill with enough water to give their mules a drink. Having moved a little bit of material, they spotted pieces of color in the hole that were large enough to be visible to the eye. The two men had accidentily stumbled into one of the largest gold strikes in Oregon history.

They called their find Rich Gulch and soon extended their search to nearby Jackson Creek, where they found extensive amounts of course placer gold throughout its gravels. With great foresight, the two men filed on the land adjoining their find, laid out a townsite and both became wealthy, influential men in the brand new community of Table Rock City, Oregon Territory. Today, we know the town that they founded by its current name: Jacksonville.

Rich Gulch, January 2010

Miners flocked into the area and Jacksonville promptly grew into the largest community north of San Francisco, its size soon exceeding that of Oregon’s Territorial Capital of Salem. Jacksonville was named the county seat of Jackson County. Major gold strikes were made throughout the area surrounding Jacksonville, most notably on Jackson and Daisy Creeks and thousands of ounces of gold, in both nugget and dust form flowed into town, bringing instant wealth to both miners and merchants alike. One resident who became very wealthy indeed was local banker C.C. Beekman, who’s Beekman Bank held the distinction of being the only bank in United States that charged its clients for the privelage of banking and did not pay interest on accounts. It is said, that during their time, Beekman’s scales weighed over ten million dollars worth of gold.

At today’s gold prices, this would be nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars worth of gold!

~ Kerby Jackson, Josephine County, Oregon

Plaque at Rich Gulch

The Applegate River - Oregon Gold Location

The Applegate River rises in Jackson County and empties into the Rogue River west of Grants Pass. Most of the placer gold deposits are found in tributaries such as Board Shanty, Caris, Miller, Grays, Oscar, Slate and Williams Creeks. Williams Creek, and it’s tributaries, Bamboo and Whiskey Gulches, were extensively worked. The Layton Hydraulic pit south of Provolt was a important producer. Oscar Creek was worked with a power shovel  and was noted for it’s large Oregon nuggets that it produced. Cans, Miller, Rocky and Slagle Creeks converge to form a rich placer area at Missouri Flat near the Jackson County line. The total placer gold production  along the Applegate River was well over 20,000 ounces.

Many spots on the Applegate River show bedrock exposed.

The Applegate River stretches 51 miles long rising from California and stretches into both Josephine and Jackson Counties in Oregon.

Oregon gold mining had it’s very beginnings in historic Jackson County. The first gold discovery in the county was in 1852 on Jackson Creek. Jackson County is a placer miner’s dream. The county produced over 500,000 ounces of placer gold. Each summer sees very many amateur and professional gold dredgers trying to strike it rich.

As 49ers from California moved north, gold was first found on Jackson Creek.

Applegate River

There are numerous hydraulic placers along this river. Below the old hydraulic mines is an excellent place to dredge as most of the mines lost 40% of the gold that went through the sluices. Also try the tributaries Forest, Sterling, Humbug and Thompson Creeks. All of these streams were excellent producers.

Ashland

In the Ashland area, all the creeks have Oregon gold in them. Some of the better locations are Bear, Ashland, Anderson, Wagner, Arrastra Creeks and Yankee and Horn Gulches.

Central Point

At Willow Springs on Willow Creek there were some very nice placers.

Elk Creek

Near the head of Elk Creek in T31S R2E section 29 is the Al Sarena (Buzzard) Mine. Elk Creek has produced considerable amounts of placer gold.

Gold Hill

All the area creeks produce gold. Some of the better locations are: Foots Creek, Sam Creek, Galls Creek, Sardine Creek, Kane Creek, Evans Creek and Pleasant Creek. The Gold Hill pocket near the top of the hill was the most famous of all gold pocket discoveries. It had the mass of nearly pure gold in a very few cubic feet of earth. Numerous other pocket locations in the area.

Jacksonville

Along Jackson Creek as written above had spectacular discoveries. Also along Sterling Creek. Almost all the creeks in the area contain gold.

Phoenix

Along Bear Creek there were some extensive early placers, still being worked today.