This is a building at the old Holland Camp mining claim in the El Paso Mountains.
The history of this camp is murky, but, according to "Death Valley Jim (http://deathvalleyjim.com/holland-camp/) Holland Camp was developed from a mining claim that had once belonged to William "Burro" Schmidt, of Burro Schmidt Tunnel fame. Not surprisingly, Schmidt lost interest in this mine, because he was focused on completing his tunnel. So, he sold the mine, and the new owners developed it into what eventually became the Apache Mine and Holland Camp, during the 1930's. However, the mining activities here had fizzled out by the end of that decade, and only a few mysterious relics mark the camp's location.
One of these relics is the structure that is shown in the photograph. It's purpose is unknown, but upon my first visit to the site, I concluded that this building was once a garage. Death Valley Jim seems to have come to the same conclusion.
Even stranger, though, are the two nearby unmarked graves. Well, they may have been marked at one time, but the weather has taken its toll on the wooden markers. No one seems to know who or what is buried here. Curious.
I lived at Holland Camp from 1987 to 1989. Hauled in our water,
ReplyDeleteused generators for power and mined for gold. Not so lucky, but what a life experience