Lost Blue Bucket Mine — John Day River

Sun shading (lidar)

Adjust simulated sun direction on the lidar hillshade. Azimuth = compass bearing of the light (0° north, 90° east). Altitude = height above the horizon (low = long shadows).

Historical map overlays

USGS scanned historical topographic maps. Enable an overlay and adjust its opacity. Works in 2D and 3D.

Sun azimuth: 315°   Sun altitude: 45°   Z factor: 1   Lidar opacity: 1
center: —   mouse: —   zoom: —

Lost Blue Bucket Mine — John Day River

Lost Treasure OR • Grant County County
Description
1845 wagon-train legend of pioneer boys filling a blue bucket with gold pebbles on a Malheur tributary — dismissed as copper until Mrs. Fisher's kept nugget proved gold, launching decades of John Day country searches.
Historical Notes
Stephen Meek's shortcut party split near Vale and the Steens country; three young men found unusual creek pebbles while hunting lost oxen in August 1845. The train left most stones behind; after California gold discoveries in 1848, Mrs. Fisher's sample proved the "copper" was gold and the Blue Bucket Mine legend was born. Legends of America places the lost diggings near a John Day River tributary passing Sheep Rock in the John Day Fossil Beds country.
Status / Verification legend — Legendary or approximate

Take Add Data / Take Notes

Log in or create an account to save private field notes for this location. Your notes are only visible to you.

Forgot password?
or

Enter your email and we'll send you a link to reset your password.

Back to log in
or