Goldstream Dredge No. 8
Encyclopedia
Goldstream Dredge No. 8 is a ladder dredge operated by the Fairbanks Exploration Co. from 1928 to 1959. It is located on the Steese Highway
(Old Steese, not new Steese) between Fairbanks
and Fox, Alaska
.
Starting in the 1920s, water was brought to the area through the 90 miles (145 km) Davidson Ditch
for gold mining. The Goldstream Dredge No. 8 cut a 4.5 miles (7.2 km) track and produced 7.5 million ounces of gold.
The dredge was named a Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
in 1986. In 1984, it was listed as a historic district
on the National Register of Historic Places
.
Today, it is open to the public. During summer months tours of the dredge and gold panning
are available for a small fee.
Steese Highway
The Steese Highway is a highway in the Interior region of the U.S. state of Alaska that extends from Fairbanks to Circle, a town on the Yukon River about 50 miles south of the Arctic Circle. The highway was completed in 1927 and is named for U.S. Army General James G. Steese, a former president...
(Old Steese, not new Steese) between Fairbanks
Fairbanks
Fairbanks may refer to:Places in the United States*Fairbanks, Alaska, city*Fairbanks, California, unincorporated community in El Dorado County*Fairbanks, Mendocino County, California, former settlement*Fairbanks, Indiana, unincorporated community...
and Fox, Alaska
Fox, Alaska
Fox is a census-designated place in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska, United States. It is part of the Fairbanks, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2007 census the population was 353.-Geography:...
.
Starting in the 1920s, water was brought to the area through the 90 miles (145 km) Davidson Ditch
Davidson Ditch
Davidson Ditch is a conduit built in the 1920s to supply water to gold mining dredges in central Alaska. It was the first large-scale pipeline construction project in Alaska, and lessons learned in its construction were applied to the building of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System...
for gold mining. The Goldstream Dredge No. 8 cut a 4.5 miles (7.2 km) track and produced 7.5 million ounces of gold.
The dredge was named a Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers is a professional body, specifically an engineering society, focused on mechanical engineering....
in 1986. In 1984, it was listed as a historic district
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Today, it is open to the public. During summer months tours of the dredge and gold panning
Gold panning
Gold panning, or simply panning, is a form of placer mining that extracts gold from a placer deposit using a pan. The process is one of the simplest ways to extract gold, and is popular with geology enthusiasts because of its cheap cost and the relatively simple and easy process involved. It is the...
are available for a small fee.
See also
- Chatanika gold dredge (Fairbanks)
- Coal Creek Historic Mining DistrictCoal Creek Historic Mining DistrictThe Coal Creek Historic Mining District is a gold-mining area in the Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve of Alaska. It features a gold dredge and a supporting community of several dozen buildings, established by mining entrepreneur Ernest Patty....
- F. E. Company Dredge No. 4F. E. Company Dredge No. 4The Pedro Dredge, also known as F.E. Company Dredge No. 4, was originally owned by the Fairbanks Exploration Company , a subsidiary of the United States Smelting Refining & Mining Co. . It was built by the Yuba Manufacturing Company in California, and was shipped to Pedro Creek north of Fairbanks...
External links
- Gold Dredge No. 8 - official site