Salt Springs

Amargosa House, this may be the oldest standing structure in the Mojave Desert. This three room office/ house was originally constructed between 1850 and 1852.

In 1849 Mormon battalion leader Jefferson Hunt led several wagons down the Old Spanish Trail, they camped at Salt Creek and discovered gold, thus setting off gold fever in Southern California.
Several prospecting expeditions came to the area, the Desert Mining Company, the Salt Springs Mining Company, and the Los Angeles Mining company mined this area. By 1853 these mining company's had either pulled out or sold out. In 1863 the Amargosa Gold & Silver Mining Company had acquired the mines and installed a five-stamp mill. This operation closed in 1870 and in 1881 the mine was sold to the South Pacific Mining Company.

There are several reports of two "massacres" occurring here.

In Oct. 1864 three miners were reportedly attacked by a roving band of Chemehuevis Indians. One miner was killed and their mill and houses were burned. Two of the miners escaped to the desert, but committed suicide about 20 miles away.

There is another report of attack that happened in the mid 1860's.
The story goes that eight miners were working claims here and noted a Paiute band camped at nearby Sheep Creek Springs. One of the miners made his way 45 miles to Camp Marl Springs to get the help of the army. The army sent a relief party which arrived too late. The seven miners, not knowing that help was on the way, tried to make a pre-dawn escape, scattering as they fled. They were easily spotted by the Indians and all seven were killed. Their graves are supposed to be here, but we did not find them.