Swansea, California
Encyclopedia
Swansea is an unincorporated community
in Inyo County
, California
. It is located 8.5 miles (14 km) south of New York Butte, at an elevation of 3661 feet (1116 m).
Swansea was a boomtown located on the eastern shore of Owens Lake
. Spawned by the success of the silver mining operations in the nearby Cerro Gordo Mines
in the late 1860s, Swansea became a hub for smelting the ore and transporting the resulting ingots to Los Angeles
, over 200 miles away. The smelter operated from 1869 to 1874.
Swansea was named after the mining town Swansea
in south Wales
, from which many experienced miners emigrated
to the USA
.
The 1872 Lone Pine earthquake
damaged the smelters and uplifted the shoreline, rendering the Swansea pier inaccessible by Owens Lake steamships. As a result, most of the smelting and transportation business moved to Keeler
, approximately one mile to the south.
In the summer of 1874, a thunderstorm-induced debris flow inundated Swansea under several feet of water, rock and sand. By then the town had been almost deserted, and the debris flow marked the end of Swansea.
As of 2007, only one building and a smelter foundation remained alongside Route 136 (about 10 miles southeast of Lone Pine
).
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Inyo County
Inyo County, California
-National protected areas:* Death Valley National Park * Inyo National Forest * Manzanar National Historic Site-Major highways:* U.S. Route 6* U.S. Route 395* State Route 127* State Route 136* State Route 168* State Route 178...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It is located 8.5 miles (14 km) south of New York Butte, at an elevation of 3661 feet (1116 m).
Swansea was a boomtown located on the eastern shore of Owens Lake
Owens Lake
Owens Lake is a mostly dry lake in the Owens Valley on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada in Inyo County, California. It is located about south of Lone Pine, California...
. Spawned by the success of the silver mining operations in the nearby Cerro Gordo Mines
Cerro Gordo Mines
The Cerro Gordo Mines were a collection of mines located in the Inyo Mountains, in Inyo County, California. Mining operations were undertaken from 1866 until 1957, producing high grade silver, lead, and zinc ore. Some ore was smelted on site, however the remote location led to larger scale...
in the late 1860s, Swansea became a hub for smelting the ore and transporting the resulting ingots to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, over 200 miles away. The smelter operated from 1869 to 1874.
Swansea was named after the mining town Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
in south Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, from which many experienced miners emigrated
Emigre
Emigre, also known as Emigre Graphics, is a digital type foundry, publisher and distributor of graphic design centered information based in Berkeley, California, that was founded in 1984 by husband-and-wife team Rudy VanderLans and Zuzana Licko. The type foundry also published Emigre magazine...
to the USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The 1872 Lone Pine earthquake
1872 Lone Pine earthquake
The Great Lone Pine earthquake was one of the largest earthquakes to hit California in recorded history. The quake struck on March 26, 1872 and its epicenter was near Lone Pine, California in Owens Valley...
damaged the smelters and uplifted the shoreline, rendering the Swansea pier inaccessible by Owens Lake steamships. As a result, most of the smelting and transportation business moved to Keeler
Keeler, California
Keeler is a census-designated place in Inyo County, California, United States. Keeler is located on the east shore of Owens Lake south-southeast of New York Butte, at an elevation of 3602 feet...
, approximately one mile to the south.
In the summer of 1874, a thunderstorm-induced debris flow inundated Swansea under several feet of water, rock and sand. By then the town had been almost deserted, and the debris flow marked the end of Swansea.
As of 2007, only one building and a smelter foundation remained alongside Route 136 (about 10 miles southeast of Lone Pine
Lone Pine, California
Lone Pine is a census-designated place in Inyo County, California, United States. Lone Pine is located south-southeast of Independence, at an elevation of 3727 feet . The population was 2,035 at the 2010 census, up from 1,655 at the 2000 census. The town is located in the Owens Valley, near the...
).