Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Oregon Copper Company records, 1928-1943
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Oregon Copper Company
- Title
- Oregon Copper Company records
- Dates
- 1928-1943 (inclusive)19281943
- Quantity
- 0.2 cubic feet, (5 folders in shared box; 1 oversize folder (36x48))
- Collection Number
- Mss 1032
- Summary
- Records and correspondence of the Oregon Copper Company. The Oregon Copper Company operated the Mother Lode Mine in Baker County, Oregon, from 1907 to 1939.
- Repository
-
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
The Oregon Copper Company operated the Mother Lode Mine in Baker County, Oregon, from 1907 to 1939, producing more than 8,100 ounces of gold and 4 million pounds of copper. By the mid-1930s, the mine was operating two shafts, three tunnels, and a 100-ton flotation mill. However, production at the Mother Lode Mine ceased in the late 1930s due to decreasing copper prices and rising operational costs.
Source: "Mother Lode Mine, Baker County," by Cain Allen, The Oregon History Project, https://www.oregonhistoryproject.org/articles/historical-records/mother-lode-mine-baker-county/#.Y1K6onbMIuU.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection consists of the records of the Oregon Copper Company, which owned mines in Baker County, Oregon. These records include correspondence of and between manager John Arthur and board member C. B. Handy, financial records, maps and plans of mining sites, reports to and correspondence with stockholders, and summaries of the company's operations. The collection also contains correspondence and schematics relating to mining equipment designed by Lyle McLean; materials relating to the Clover Creek Consolidated Mining Company and the Balm Creek Gold Mining Company, which Arthur also managed; and photographs of mine shafts at the Balm Creek mining site.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
Oregon Copper Company records, Mss 1032, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Restrictions on Use
The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Acquisition Information
Gift of Amelia S. Handy or her estate, circa 1963 (Lib. Acc. 10018).
Processing Note
Photographs in this collection were part of Oregon Copper Company photographs, Org. Lot 806, until 2022. Oversize materials were in the Architecture collection, Mss 1525, until 2009, and then in Coll 142, Plans and drawings relating to public transportation in Oregon, until 2022.
Related Materials
Additional photographs relating to the Oregon Copper Company at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library and designated Org. Lot 806.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Folder | ||
| 1 | Records and correspondence | 1928-1931 |
| 2 | Records and correspondence | 1932 |
| 3 | Records and correspondence | 1934 |
| 4 | Correspondence and schematics relating to mining equipment designed by Lyle McLean | 1938-1939 |
| Oversize 1 | Maps and plans for Poorman Mine and Motherlode Mine; schematic for McLean's Recovery Cell | 1929-1930, undated; 1943 |
| 5 | Photographs of Balm Creek shaft | circa 1930 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Mineral industries--Oregon--Baker County
- Mines and mineral resources--Oregon--Baker County
Personal Names
- Arthur, John--Correspondence
- Handy, C. B. (Charles Bates), 1871-1946--Correspondence
Corporate Names
- Oregon Copper Company--Records and correspondence
Form or Genre Terms
- administrative records
- correspondence
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- McLean, Lyle (engineer)
