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Red Top Mine/ Pittsburgh

Lander County

AKA: Pittsburg. AKA: Maysville Mine, Mayesville Mine, Farlier.

Crum Canyon is better known as Hilltop Road. This road runs south into the canyon, starting south of Battle Mountain. As you travel further into Crum Canyon, the road will create a fork with Hilltop and Maysville Canyons. The Pittsburgh site is located close to this junction. The Red Top/ Maysville Mine is located further south in Maysville Canyon. Discoveries were first made in this area as early as 1878. Gold was discovered in Maysville Canyon in 1882. From here, the camp of Pittsburgh began to grow. The camp eventually reached a population of approximately 100 residents. The normal stores and saloons for a camp of this size were established. The Post Office opened in 1888. By the early 1890's, mine production had fallen off. The population of Pittsburg had dropped to a couple dozen residents. From this point forward, all businesses left. Residents had to utilize the services located at Dean (Lewis Canyon) for supplies. All mining in the immediate area had stopped by 1906. The Red Top/Maysville Mine was first discovered in 1882. No major work was done here until 1887. The Mayesville Mining Company operated the mine for three years before folding in 1890. The mine was said to have produced $33,000 during this period. Sometime in the 1890's, a new operation built what is known as a Chilean Mill and four amalgamating pans below the mine. The mine was also leased in the 1930's by an unknown individual or company. This may have been the Buckingham Mines Corporation, which leased the Hilltop Mine and several other claims in the area beginning in 1930. High-grade ore was produced at the Red Top during this period, but shipments were said to be sporadic. Gold and silver were primary commodities. Other tertiary commodities taken included copper, lead, zinc and iron. This mine included four adits with over 5,000 feet of workings.

Post Office: (Pittsburgh) October 11, 1888 to March 5, 1892; (Pittsburg) March 5, 1892 to August 15, 1893. Mail was received at Battle Mountain for Pittsburg residents through May of 1900.

Last Trip/ Road Conditions: September 2016 and July 2022. On both trips, we were either antelope hunting or scouting. It's a dirt road, but it's a pretty good road. We saw a guy driving through in a full-size sedan. I would watch for small washout spots and be careful at creek crossings if you don't have a truck or SUV. All photos are of the Red Top Mine except for the very last one. The last photo is what I believe to be the actual site of Pittsburg. The first six photos are from 2016. The rest are from 2022.

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