Pioneer

Early in 1906, several mines were located in the northern part of the Bullfrog Hills. The Mayflower was the richest of these, and for a short while gave rise to the small camp of Mayflower, complete with a boardinghouse and an assay office operated by the Bullfrog Mining & Water Company. In 1907, the new Pioneer mine was located just to the north, and in 1908 the new Pioneer townsite sprang up between the two mines. By 1909, 1000 people lived in Pioneer, which was divided into an upper and lower section. It had numerous businesses, including hotels, stores, restaurants, a theater, and it even sported two newspapers that year - the Pioneer Press and Topics. Auto lines ran to Rhyolite and Springdale, and the Pioneer Mining & Townsite Company was planning for a railroad spur to the latter. Though the spur never materialized, Pioneer did gain a school and electricity, and at this time the mines were reportedly producing some $200,000 per month. Unfortunately, a devastating fire before the end of the year would slow the camp down, and it never recovered. By 1911, the population dropped to 300.

Meanwhile, the two main producers came under new ownership. The Pioneer was purchased by the Pioneer Consolidated Mines Co., of which George Wingfield was a major stockholder. That company erected a new 10-stamp mill and 30-ton cyanide and amalgamation mill in 1913, but a partial collapse in December 1914 ceased all operations. It reopened in 1915 with the ten-stamp Smith mill relocated from Beatty. At the Mayflower, the Consolidated Mayflower Mine Co. continued to operate inconsistently due to poor management and litigation until 1928. The Indiana Mines Exploration Company worked it thereafter, building a 75-ton amalgamation mill the next year. In 1930, that company merged with the Reorganized Pioneer Mines Co. (formerly the Pioneer Consolidated).

In 1931, the Pioneer mines finally closed, taking the town with them. The 1929 Indiana Company mill was moved to Gilbert, and though attempts were made by a few companies to restart the mines, all activity was finished by 1940. Over $1.6 million was produced during Pioneer's run.

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