Hecla Mining Company Records, 1891-1977

The Hecla Mining Company was organized in 1891 as an Idaho corporation. Among those prominent in Hecla’s early affairs were John A. Finch, Amasa B. Campbell, and Patrick Clark. In 1898 Hecla was reorganized as a Washington corporation. Hecla paid its first dividends in 1900. The original properties, the Hecla and the Katie May, were supplemented over the years by the acquisition of additional properties, including the Polaris (ID), Blue Moon (CA), Union (BC), Silver Cable (MT), Resurrection (CO), and the Atlas (ID), to name a few. Hecla joined with Bunker Hill in 1917 to form the Sullivan Mining Company. After a sometimes bitter battle, Hecla acquired Day Mines, Inc., owner of the original Hercules Mine, in 1981.