Archives West Finding Aid

The Roxbury placers were a group of gold claims on the junction of the Klamath and Scott rivers, near Scott Bar, Siskiyou County, California, a site subject to placering as early as 1851. In 1932 Henry Day bought the Roxbury placers, which included the Reserve, Whiting Hill, Security, Daisy, Belmont, Success, Big D, Little D, and Dodge placer claims from the estate of H.P. Nawn of Boston, who had been the owner since 1916. The property also contained a blacksmith shop, a bunkhouse, and a bungalow, which was rented out as a lodge for hunters and fisherman. In 1938 and 1939 Day located the Samms, Excelsior, and the Shasta claims.

Day appraised these properties in two preliminary reports written in September and November 1932. Henry and Harry Day purchased the Roxbury together, but Harry deeded his interest to his son in 1934. Henry spent much of 1933 and 1934 in California working on this project.

In June 1935 Henry stopped work on the Roxbury and during the next ten years many people attempted to purchase parts of the property, primarily because of the bungalow, but Henry felt that it would be more lucrative to sell the property as a whole. Until an opportunity could be found to do so he occasionally leased the claims. In August 1946 he found buyers in Charles H. Brown and James J. Brown.