Virden — Kittitas County

Source: Tom Ashworth's Prospectors Cache (tomashworth.com / Mike Higbee / 49erMike). Author: Tom Ashworth. Original page: kittitas_wa.shtml. State index: https://web.archive.org/web/20040830075749/http://www.tomashworth.com/goldloc.shtml Area: Virden. Map coordinates are an approximate county centroid — not a precise claim site. North of Virden, between Latitude 47 deg. 14 min. and 47 deg. 16 min. N, Longitude 120 deg. 28 min. and 120 deg. 42 min. W, is the Swauk district, which had a total production of 7,141 ounces of lode gold and 4,972 ounces of placer gold between 1868 and 1959. In the area around the Blewett Pass Highway, is the Gold Reef Mine, which produced lode gold and silver. At T20N, R17E, at the junction of Boulder and Williams Creek, in section 1, is the Boulder Creek Placer. It is said that the pay dirt on bedrock in this area is very good. On the East Fork of Williams Creek, the Gold Leaf Mine produced free gold, sometimes found in beautiful octohedral crystals. On Snowshoe Ridge, in section 2, is the location of the Clarence Jordan Mine. This mine consisted of 3 claims which produced gold and silver. In the NE 1/4 of section 3, is the Cedar Creek Placer. In sections 3 and 10 is the Swauk Mining and Dredging Placer, which was a very productive large scale operation. In section 10 is the Bryant (Deer Gulch) Placer. In the NE 1/4, the Burcham Placer is found and in the SE 1/4 is the Dennett Placer, all of which were productive. Along Baker Creek, above its junction with Swauk Creek, is the Baker Creek Placer. In the NE 1/4 of the SW 1/4 section 13, T21N R17E is the Golden Fleece (Mercer, T-Bone) Mine. It consisted of 3 claims, mill which produced free milling gold, silver and pyrite. In section 33 is the Bear Cat Placer, which was productive. In the NE 1/4 section 15 is the Sylvanite Mine, which produced free milling gold. Near the head of Swauk Creek, in section 8, T21N R18E, is the Zerwekh (Big Z) mine, which produced free gold.