Calico Ghost Town Blacksmith to Restore Stamp Mill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
San Bernardino, California, United States of America (Free-Press-Release.com) February 24, 2011 -- Approximately, three years ago, Klaus Duebbert of Banning, CA, a restorer of antique equipment and acting blacksmith for Calico Ghost Town, discovered a two-stamp mill in storage at the base of Calico Ghost Town’s parking lot. The Baker Foundry stamp mill dates back to 1870 and was used in gold, silver mining and other precious metals.

Duebbert got interested in the possibility of restoring the Calico Stamp Mill after seeing the work of a colleague who restored the Big Bear Stamp Mill. “The stamp mill had been sitting at Calico for years,” said Duebbert. “I convinced representatives of San Bernardino County Regional Parks to put it back together and have it operate again,” he said.

The cost to restore the mill is $7,000. So far, through in-kind and monetary donations, Duebbert has raised half the needs.

The stamp mill was originally located in Daggett and definitely part of the California Gold Rush, according to Deubbert. Although there were a few parts missing from the original mill, he was able to rebuild them. Currently the foundation and framework is up and the motor box has been installed. The project is half way through completion with the remainder of the work involving the building of a gear reducer, replacement of all the wood and installing the belts. Duebbert is hoping to receive the in-kind or monetary donations necessary to complete the project to have it up and running for Calico Ghost Town’s spring music festival, May 7th.

Calico Ghost Town was officially proclaimed California’s Silver Rush Ghost Town in 2005. The site of California’s largest silver strike in its history, over $20 million in silver was pulled from Calico’s mines between 1881 and 1892. When silver prices devaluated and the silver rush came to an abrupt end, so did Calico and by 1907 the town became abandoned – left a ghost town.

The restoration of the Calico Stamp Mill will make it the third operational stamp mill in Southern California.

“We look forward to having the stamp mill running again,” said Keith Lee, Regional Parks Director. “It will bring back the sights and sounds of an operational mill to Calico Ghost Town that hasn’t been heard in these parts for nearly a century.” During the 1880’s, the stamp mill was transported on a narrow gauge rail, set up on a hillside and ore chutes fed the rocks into it. The ore was then processed through a classifying table where chemical leeching or amalgams separated the silver from the ore. Once the silver had been separated it was melted, cast into ingots and shipped off to the United States Mint or sold to the banks.

Calico plans to hold daily demonstrations of the stamp mill and more frequently during festivals and special event weekends at Calico Ghost Town.

More information on the Stamp Mill Project may be found at http://calicostampmill.org/ Donations may be sent to:

Calico Stamp Mill
2112 W. Westward Avenue
Banning, CA 92220

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