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Desert Queen Mine
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
Show map of CaliforniaShow map of the United States
Nearest city	Twentynine Palms, California
Coordinates	34°1′26″N 116°4′9″W / 34.02389°N 116.06917°W / 34.02389; -116.06917
Built	1894
Architect	Multiple
NRHP reference No.	76000216
Added to NRHP	January 17, 1976

The Desert Queen Mine in the Colorado Desert was one of the more long-lived gold mines of Southern California's high desert region. The abandoned mine is located in Riverside County, California within the boundaries of the Joshua Tree National Park and is included on the National Register of Historic Places.

The mine is associated with Jim McHaney, a local cattle rustler, and Bill Keys, a noted rancher. The mine facilities are largely ruinous. The mine was not spectacularly successful but was sufficiently productive to remain in operation for nearly seventy-five years.

The mine itself consisted of several vertical and horizontal shafts, of which four vertical shafts, five inclined shafts, and ten horizontal adits remain. Tailings piles appear in several places, with quantities of machinery scattered about the site.

The mine was established by a man named Frank L. James in the early 1890s. The rich ore initially found prompted local outlaw gang leader and cattle rustler Jim McHaney to take over the mine. McHaney sent two of his men, Charley Martin and a man named Myers, to demand the mine from James. James refused, and Martin shot and killed him with a gun borrowed from Myers, after forcing James to sign over the property. Martin was acquitted of murder charges on grounds of self-defense.

McHaney initially prospered but borrowed heavily to expand and fell behind on payments to the bank, ultimately losing the mine. The mine passed into the hands of William F. Keys around 1917, who operated the mine until 1961.

See also

• Cow Camp, home of the McHaney Gang
• Keys Desert Queen Ranch
• Wall Street Mill

References

1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
2. "Desert Queen Mine Stone House Ruin". List of Classified Structures. National Park Service. 2008-11-17. Archived from the original on 2011-05-21. Retrieved 2008-11-17.
3. ^ Gordon Chappell (June 10, 1975). National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Desert Queen Mine (pdf). National Park Service.

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• Industrial buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in California
• Landmarks of Riverside County, California
• Mining in Riverside County, California
• Colorado Desert
• Joshua Tree National Park
• Gold mines in California
• Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in California
• National Register of Historic Places in Riverside County, California
• 1894 establishments in California
• Southern California Registered Historic Place stubs
• Riverside County, California, geography stubs