While the mining industry never reached the same prominence that logging did in Lewis County, it was an important source of revenue in the early 1900s, especially in the area in and around Morton, where multiple cinnabar veins were mined (cinnabar is the common ore of mercury). [According to the report, Inactive and Abandoned Mine Lands - Roy and Barnum-McDonnell Mines, Morton Cinnabar Mining District, Lewis County, Washington (Fritz E. Wolff, Donalad T. McKay, Jr. and David K. Norman, 2001), the Roy and Barnum-McDonnell mines alone yielded $509,717 worth of mercury between 1926 and 1940.] The state's definition of a mine was expanded to include quarries, manufacturers of brick (including clay and limestone) and tile, and hot springs operators. I hope to use this page to document known mines in Lewis Co., and provide links to resources where researchers can learn more. Unfortunately, I do not have much more information than what is presented here or elsewhere on the website. If you have information that may help others, please contact me.

Resources

List of known mines and quarries

Location Company Notes
Polar Star Mining Company Copper and iron mine. Located in eastern Lewis County. Founded by William A. Gray in early 1900s (source: History of Lewis County, Washington, p. 168). See also the entry for Cascadia Mining & Development Co. under Toledo. Operated by Geo. S. Reid, 410 Gerlinger Bldg., Portland, OR (1938, 1939). Listed in 1938 and 1939 Directories of Washington Mines. Exact location not yet determined, but located 45 miles east of Toledo (near western boundary of present-day Gifford Pinchot National Forest).
Bennight Empress Mine Coal mine. Formerly called Bennight's mine. Opened in 1913 by Washington Coal and Mining Company (see the Bennight town listing and D. Jeffrey Bennight's blog for more information).
Blakeslee Junction Pacific Sand & Gravel Company Sand, gravel and crushed stone quarry. R. P. Coluccio, Box 628, Centralia, WA, was president (1955, 1962). Listed in 1955 and 1962 Directories of Washington Mines.
Centralia Arrowsmith Coal Company Coal mine. Registered by Cecil Arrowsmith, R.F.D. Box 404, Centralia, WA (1962). Listed in 1962 Directory of Washington Mines.
Centralia Black Prince Coal Company Coal mine. Operated by J. G. Parkin (1943); Mrs. Angeline Parkins, Route 2, Box 324, Centralia, WA (1955, 1962). Listed in 1943 report on coal mining; 1955 and 1962 Directories of Washington Mines. 1942 production was 3,362 tons. 1961 production was 2,795 tons.
Centralia Brown, Gordon J. mine Clay mine. Registered by Gordon J. Brown, Route 1, Box 219, Centralia, WA (1955). Listed in 1955 Directory of Washington Mines.
Centralia Cascade Hauling Company Pit gravel, crushed gravel, ballast. Registered by Walter and Pete Norquist, 918 "K" St., Centralia, WA (1962). Listed in 1962 Directory of Washington Mines. Note in 1962 directory: "Plant capacity: 20 yd./hr."
Centralia Golden Glow Coal Company Coal mine. Operated by H. H. French and L. Howell (1943). 1942 production: 830 tons.
Centralia Majestic Coal Mining Company Coal mine. Operated by E. E. Colias (1943). 1942 production: 9,677 tons.
Centralia Twin City Sand & Gravel Company Sand, gravel and crushed stone quarry. Located at Plummer Lake. Arthur B. Plummer, Box 8, Centralia, WA, was president and manager (1955). Listed in 1955 Directory of Washington Mines.
Chehalis Chehalis Brick & Tile Company Clay products. F. G. Burrows, Manager (1955, 1962). M. D. Saindon, Sales Manager (1955). Listed in 1955 and 1962 Directories of Washington Mines.
Chehalis Chehalis Sand & Gravel, Inc. Sand, gravel, crushed gravel. Herman Hatfield, of Route 3, Box 168, Chehalis, WA, was president (1962). Listed in 1962 Directory of Washington Mines. Note in 1962 directory: "Plant capacity: 500 yds./day."
Foron Stoker Coal Mining Company Coal mine. Operated by T. E. Martin (1943). 1942 production: 18,721 tons.
Ladd East Creek Coal Company Coal mine. Operated from 1906 to 1916. John Bagley was president. In 1917, he sold the company to Great Northern Railroad, who operated the mine as the Phoenix Coal Company until flood and fire destroyed the mine and town in 1919 (source: LaVonne Sparkman in Nowhere To Look But Up, pp. 108-109). More information is available on the history of coal mining in Ladd.
Ladd Sunburst Coal Company, Inc. Coal mine. The permit to operate the mine was held by Dr. C. C. Hale, R. L. Stitt, and Edward Husband as of 1943, but the mine did not operate in 1942. More information is available on the history of coal mining in Ladd.
Ladd William Ladd Coal Company Coal mine. Operated from 1906 to 1909. John Bagley was manager (source: LaVonne Sparkman in Nowhere To Look But Up, p. 108). More information is available on the history of coal mining in Ladd.
Mendota Columbia Coal Company Coal mine. Operated by Thomas A. Sweeney (1943).
Mineral Creek Davis & Evans Mining Company Gold, silver and copper mines. Founded in 1891 and described in Mining in the Pacific Northwest (pp 116).
Mineral Creek Mineral Creek Mining and Smelting Company Arsenic mine. Operated from 1900 to 1922, according to LaVonne Sparkman in Nowhere To Look But Up (pp. 92-93).
Morton Apex Mercury Mines, Inc. Mercury mine. Listed in 1939 Directory of Washington Mines.
Morton Barnum-McDonnell mine Mercury mine. Opened in 1926. Edward Barnum was a co-partner in the mine (it is reported that he made the initial discovery of cinnibar in the area in 1913).
Morton Barnum & Patterson Mercury Co. Mercury mine. Listed in 1938 and 1939 Directories of Washington Mines. Edward Barnum was a co-partner in the mine.
Morton Fowler & O'Connor Mercury mine. Listed in 1938 Directory of Washington Mines.
Morton Hi-Carbon Coal Mine Coal mine. Located near Davis Lake, on the former homestead of Erik Edward Edlund, who discovered coal there in 1907. The property and mineral rights were sold in 1908 for $15,000 (source: LaVonne Sparkman in Nowhere To Look But Up, p. 23).
Morton Morton Coal and Coke mine Operated by J. E. Bennight in the early 1920s.
Morton Roy Mining Company Mercury mine. It was also known as the Fisher Mine, Gillespie Mine and Morton Mine. (O. G. Gillispie was one of the original homesteaders on the site of the mine.) Mining operation was initiated in 1926-1927. H. L. Wolf of Morton, WA was president (1938, 1939). Listed in 1938 and 1939 Directories of Washington Mines. Note with 1939 listing: "leased to Interstate Mining Co." See 1965 article describing efforts to reopen the Roy mine.
Morton Tahoma Mercury Co. Mercury mine. Chas. Buege of 1356 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, WA was president (1939). Listed in 1939 Directory of Washington Mines. Mentioned in the 14 Dec 1934 issue of the Chehalis Bee-Nugget.
Mossyrock Soda Springs Mining Company Founded by William Gray in early 1900s (source: History of Lewis County, Washington, p. 168).
Mount Rainier Park Eagle Peak Copper Mining Company Copper and gold mine. Near Longmire, on western slope of Eagle Mountain. R. H. Wheelock, of Box 86, Ashford, WA, was president (1955, 1962). Listed in 1955 and 1962 Directories of Washington Mines.
Mount Rainier Park Ohanapecosh Hot Springs Mineral water. Martin Kilian, of Packwood, WA, was manager (1955). Listed in 1955 Directory of Washington Mines.
Randle Camp Creek Mining Company Gold mine. Mervin E. Mervin, Superintendent (1939). Listed in 1939 Directory of Washington Mines.
Randle Daybreak Quarry Ashlar, rubble, landscape rock. Located on Davis Creek. Registered by Roy E., Lloyd and Richard Goble, Randle, WA (1962). Listed in 1962 Directory of Washington Mines.
Randle McCoy Creek Mining Company Gold mine. The McCoy Creek mining district was first established sometime around 1908. Operated by Andy Holmes and James Anderson of Tacoma, WA (1939). Listed in 1939 Directory of Washington Mines.
Toledo Cascadia Mining & Development Co. E. A. Sessions was president, and W. A. Gray played a significant role in the company's operations before his death in 1918. See this article for an example of the company's activities.
Waunchs Prairie Pacific Sand & Gravel Company Sand, gravel and crushed stone quarry. R. P. Coluccio, Box 628, Centralia, WA, was president (1955). Listed in 1955 Directory of Washington Mines.