People and the Wash - Early Mining

While ranching and farming were taking place at the Wash, mining was becoming a lucrative venture, or so people thought.The two main types of manganese ore found at Three Kidds are Wad and Pyrolusite (shown here).

The two main types of manganese ore found at Three Kidds are Wad and Pyrolusite (shown here).

There are two areas near the Wash where mining either took place or seemingly took place. One area was the Three Kids Mine. The Three Kids Mine was a manganese mine and was in operation (off and on) from 1917 to 1961.

During World Wars I & II, this mine became one of the major suppliers of manganese. (Manganese is used mostly in the form of tough alloys, which are resistant to wear. Small amounts are added to steel as deoxidizers. Some of the other uses are for safes and boat propeller blades). This mine contributed heavily to the growth of the city of Henderson in the early and middle part of the 20th century. The mine is located on the south side of Lake Mead Drive, near the southern portion of the Wash. Geology in the area, particularly at Three Kids Canyon, shows us where manganese made its way to the Wash.

The other mine involves a bit more controversy. A Belgian miner and manager of Pacific Coast Gypsum and South Nevada Gold Mining Company, Paul Watelet, came to town around 1905 (from Oakland, California). Right away, Watelet claimed both gold and gypsum were plentiful in the Frenchman's Mountain area. At this time, Tonopah, Goldfield and Rhyolite were boomtowns due to the gold and silver found in those areas, so it was common to see reports about various minerals throughout the area.

Then, something changed. In February of 1912, a businessman was shown chunks of minerals that contained gold particles, supposedly the minerals had come from Frenchman's Mountain. As word spread, more and more people headed up to the mountain to find their fortune. Two days later, the local newspaper headline informed people nothing was there, so the chaos settled down. This news, however, did not dampen some prospectors. The South Nevada Gold Company continued to fund the project. The company's president presented various reports showing the tunnels being constructed, as well as what was, supposedly, being found. Construction of cottages (for miners to live in) ensued and the company claimed they would be building new towns, including one along the Las Vegas Wash.

Frenchman's Mountain

By 1914, after two years of investments coming in (including Winterwood Land Company buying stock in the company), interest in the mine ceased. The men involved left town and the real story of what went on in the mine is still a mystery. In the 1960s, mining experts were unable to find any evidence to support the idea of any ore ever having been shipped out. It has been concluded that it was all a hoax, intended to lure investment dollars.

In 1940, another mystery was added to the story. A teenager went out one day to explore the area (tunnels still existed in the mountain). The boy disappeared, never to be seen again. The only things he left behind were his bike and a half-eaten lunch. A tunnel was sealed with a steel door, after a long search produced no results.

Note: The information given on the Frenchman's Mountain mine came from curator of the Las Vegas History Museum, Frank Wright's article, "Frenchman's Secrets", Las Vegas Life, Volume 3, Number 10.