Archives West Finding Aid

The Lone Jack Gold Mine was discovered in 1897 by Jack Post, Russ Lambert, and Luman Van Valkenburg during a prospecting excursion in what would later be the Mount Baker Mining District. They laid claim to the 88 acres of land which included the Lone Jack, Lulu, Whist, Jennie, and Sidney areas. The following year, the partners sold their claims to Henry Hahn, Leo Friede and Henry Stanislawsky for $50,000 who in turn signed a contract with the Mt. Baker Mining Co. for $90,000. Following this deal, the mine changed hands multiple times; being sold to English and Son, reverting back to Hahn and Friede after a failed deal, sold to George Thomas and S.Q. Clark of Boundary Gold Co. in 1913, and taken over by Philip Brooks of Brooks-Willis Metals Inc. in the 1920s. Brooks-Willis Co. stopped work at the mine in 1925 following the repeated damage and destruction of buildings from winter avalanches. Brooks’ family retained control of the property. Josephine, Brooks’ mother, hired Harry Bullene and students from Meridian High School to repair the damaged buildings and widen the trails. After her death in the 1940’s, the property passed to Harry and Mamie Bullene. The Bullenes have leased the property to various individuals and companies, including Robert J. Cole, Calkins Equipment Co., Lone Jack Co., SAC Co. and Delmore Enterprises, and lastly Diversified Development Co.

There have been various changes made to the mine over the years. The stamp mill for processing gold ore was first installed in July of 1903, though it burned down in 1907. By 1922, along with a new stamp mill, the owners had built a sawmill, an electrical generator powerhouse, telephone lines and lighting in the mine. In 1964, abandoned dynamite was discovered in the mine and destroyed in a controlled explosion by members of the Army Forest Personnel. The last gold ore was shipped from Lone Jack in 1995.

Robert J. Cole, a mining engineer, leased the Lone Jack Mine property from Harry and Mamie Bullene between the early 1950s and 1975 when the Bullenes created a new lease with Calkins Equipment Co. He, along with his brother Henry A. Cole, invested in both the Galena Bay Mining Co. and the Nikolai Mining Co. of Alaska. They were also involved in uranuim mining in Nevada during the 1950's. Along with his investments, Robert J. Cole worked with the Nicholson Mining Co. and the Kromona Mines Corporation.