Dredging for Gold

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This is likely the Porter Brothers Corporation's electric Yuba dredge working the old mine tailings which were north of Custer Ave. and west of N. Montana Avenue. From November of 1935 to August 1943 the dredge worked continuously on the flats. In that time 45,000 ounces of gold were recovered from gravel that averaged 18 to 30 cents per cubic yard. Dredging stopped in 1943 due to the war-time restrictions on gold mining. When this ban was lifted in 1945, the Porter Brothers dredge worked one more season. Total value of the gold from this dredge was reported to be more than $2,500,000. -- INFO FROM THE MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.

A color view of the Porter Brothers dredge. Date unknown.

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