Black
Canyon City Click to See full
map extent
FootPrint
Details
This FootPrint covers the eastern flank
of the steep Bradshaw Mountains centered around Black Canyon
City. West to Boulder Creek, covering Williams Mesa and
East to I-17. The extent runs North to the confluence of
Arrastre Creek and Black Canyon and southward covering Moore
Gulch and the old town of Gillette. The Aqua Fria River
serves as the dividing line between Yavapai and Maricopa
counties. Approximately 50 Square Miles.
General History
The Black Canyon City FootPrint covers portions of the
Agua Fria and New River Mining Districts. The black igneous
rock that Black Canyon Creek flows through is the genesis
of its name. Black Canyon drains the many gold bearing areas
of the southeastern Bradshaw Mountains into the Agua Fria
at Black Canyon City. Placers have been worked here since
at least the 1850's. The surrounding mountains are highly
mineralized and extremely rugged. Being difficult territory
to work, much of the area remains virtually unworked. Many
modern day nugget hunters have been pleasantly rewarded
for a little hard work.
Gillette and
the Tip Top Mine
The ghost town of Gillette sits on the Aqua Fria River.
The town was founded in 1878 as the millsite for the successful
Tip Top silver mine nine miles into the Bradshaw Mountains.
In 1884 the mill was moved to Tip Top but the town remained
a stop on the Prescott to Phoenix black canyon stage. By
1895 the railroad was completed connecting the two cities
and Gillette was finally abandoned. The FootPrint does not
include the Tip Top mine, but does include most of the old
road to the mine and the entire Gillette millsite.
Placer information:
This information is taken directly from US Geological
Survey Bulletin 1355, Placer Gold Deposits of Arizona, by
Maureen G. Johnson, 1972.
Aqua Fria District
Placer gold was recovered from Moores Gulch (T.8 N., Rs.
2 and 3 E.), a tributary to the Agua Fria River, north of
Lake Pleasant. Placer gold was recovered from other areas
along the river, but no descriptions of any deposits have
been found.
New River District
Placer gold was recovered from this district in 1933. The
district is on the south slope of the New River Mountains
(Tps. 6 and 7 N. Rs. 2 and 3 E) but probably also includes
minor deposits located in the low hills south of the New
River Mountains and north of Deer Valley.
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