Argonaut Mine
| Argonaut Mine | |
|---|---|
Argonaut Mine and Mill, c. 1920 | |
| Location | State Route 49, Jackson, California |
| Coordinates | 38°21′53″N 120°47′14″W / 38.364717°N 120.7871°W |
| Reference no. | 786 |
The Argonaut Mine was a gold mine in Jackson, California, United States. The deposit was discovered in 1850, and in 1922 was the site of the worst gold-mining disaster in the state's history. The mine closed in 1942 and, along with the nearby Kennedy Mine, is registered as California Historical Landmark #786.
The gold deposit was discovered in the 1850s by two miners, James Hager and William Tudor, both freed slaves. Serious development began in 1893 when it was purchased by the Argonaut Mining Company. The mine operated until 1942 reaching a vertical depth of 5,570 feet (1,700 m) via a 63-degree shaft and produced more than $25 million (~$369 million in 2023) in gold.