Photo Gallery

Death Valley Junction

Moving equipment from Death Valley Junction to Boron during war 1944, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Moving equipment from Death Valley Junction to Boron, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

At Death Valley Junction, 1920: L to R: H.W. Faulkner, Mrs. Faulkner, Hoffman (T&T Fireman), ?,?, Agnes Connelly, ?, ?, Zobel (Chemist at DVJ), Clarence Rasor (Chief Eng., Pacific Coast Borax Co.), Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – Borax plant and RR bunkers 1920, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – Borax plant, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – Stebbin’s deshaling plant at right, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – Wet concentration plant 1925, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – Calcining and concentration plant 1914 – 1950, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – Diesel plant, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction 1923, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – Mill 1928, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – Mill in operation 1927, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – Concentrating plant 1924, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – Tonopah & Tidewater locomotive, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – Lila C roasters being added to the DVJ mill, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – Mill, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – Mill 1925, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – Mill 1920, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – Zabriskie house under construction, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction Superintendent’s residence, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – Portion of old town homes moved from Lila C mine, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – Employees homes, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – Garage and power plant, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – Steam heating plant, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – Material warehouse and machine shop, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – Laundry building, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – T&T train arriving at DVJ 1930, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – T&T railroad depot, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – Bunkers at the mill, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – RR ore bunkers at mill, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction, Hugh McPhee & Harry P. Gower examin wagons in park 1934, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – First hotel in town 1930, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – Employees mess hall 1925, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction – Amargosa Hotel 1933 – 1938, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Junction 1925, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Lila C Mine

Lila C Mine – The Camp at Lila C in 1910 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Lila C Mine – The Mine and Camp from a distance, looking east, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Lila C Mine and Mill 1910, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Lila C Mine – The Mill 1912, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Lila C Mine – Shaft and Mill Building during rare snow storm 1912, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Lila C Mine – John Ryan at #2 shaft and bunker 1910, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Lila C Mine – Outcrop of Colmanite ore at the mine, Mr. Smitheram, Foreman, and lower down, John Ryan, general manager 1910, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

The line up for chow at the Company Boarding House 1910 at the Lila C Mine, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Lila C Mine – The Superintendents House 1914, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

The Death Valley Brass Band at the Lila C Mine, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Left to right Jack Davis General Mine Foreman, Jean Tischner and Frank Sands at the Lila C mine, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Sands and children at the Lila C Mine, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

1912 Cadillac that Pacific Coast Borax stationed at the Lila C Mine, was later made into three gauge emergency car on the DVRR, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Railroad

Death Valley R.R., Aug. 1914, New Narrow Gauge Locomotive – County of Inyo, Eastern California Museum

Combination train near Ryan – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

DVRR ore train approaching Ryan (1914 – 1930) – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Loading ore at the Played Out Mine 1925 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

View from Ryan – Funeral Mountains in background – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Ryan, California 1915. Terminus of road – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Bridge at mile post 15 with motor coach – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

The gasoline combination passenger and express car on the DVRR – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Gasoline coach – sent to Carlsbad in 1930 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Ryan

Ryan, California 1915. Terminus of road – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Ryan, California. Yard scene 1922 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley, Ryan 1920 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Upper Biddy Mine from Ryan, 1916 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley, Ryan – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Ryan, California – Old staff quarters 1920 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Ryan, California – Hospital 1923 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Upper Biddy Mine – showing timber hoist from yard at Ryan – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Ryan, California – County of Inyo, Eastern California Museum

Ryan, California – Dormitories and hospital 1916 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

The “Francis” locomotive being loaded in Dagget in 1914 for shipment to Death Valley via Ludlow for use with the DVRR – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Francis locomotive at Ryan 1915 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Heisler geared locomotive at Ryan, California from Borate and Daggett RR used in construction of Death Valley RR 1914. There were two of these geared locomotives, one “Francis” and the other “Marion” after Francis Marion Smith – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

The narrow gauge Death Valley Railroad, company camp at Ryan, California – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Loading borax ore to DVRR gondolas. Baby Gauge cars above with ore from Widow Mine – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Ryan, California. Passengers arriving on Motor Coach from Death Valley Junction 1929 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Preparing the grade to the Oakley Mine – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Mr. Ryan in tunnel, Ryan Mine 1914 – County of Inyo, Eastern California Museum

Ryan, California – Miner’s dugout at Oakley Mine – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Ryan, California. Mine Superintendent Smitheram’s transportation – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

6 ton Plymouth locomotive, friction drive of Baby Gauge Railroad – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Ore leaving Upper Biddy Tunnel – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley, Ryan. Poison Rock, “One drop kills” – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Ore train arriving at Ryan from the mines 1916 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Baby Gauge from New Ryan to Widow mine 1916 – County of Inyo, Eastern California Museum

Naming the “Baby Gauge” Supt. Harry P. Gower and Mary Lillian Gower 1926 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Borax Mines – Ore arriving from the Widow Mine at portal of Upper Biddy tunnel. Engineer Luckhurst, passengers Left, Norman Ross, right, Harry P. Gower – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Grand View Mine, laying track from Ryan 1915 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Lower Biddy stope 1916 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Played Out mine bunkers near Ryan 1916 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Played Out mine on DVRR 1916 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley graves – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Borax Mines – Grand View Mine near Ryan – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Combination train near Ryan – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Ryan area snow storm 1950 – 1952 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Heavy storm about 1950 to 1952. 18 inches of snow at Ryan – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Ryan area snow storm 1950 to 1952 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Baby Gauge excursion ready to depart – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Mancha electric Locomotive. Major Boyd, operator 1926 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Sightseers on mine railroad 1927. Major Boyd standing near locomotive at Grand View Mine – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Children from the Death Valley school take an excursion on the railraod – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Sightseeing train leaving Ryan for the mines 1930 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Baby Gauge – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Sight seeing on the Baby Gauge RR, Ryan, California – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Babg Gauge train, Ryan, California – County of Inyo, Eastern California Museum

Death Valley tourists bisit borax mine at Ryan – County of Inyo, Eastern California Museum

View of Death Valley from Ryan – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Railroad near Ryan – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley, Ryan – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

View of Black Mountains from Ryan – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley, Ryan – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley View Hotel, Ryan 1937 – County of Inyo, Eastern California Museum

Death Valley, Ryan – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Ryan 1964 – A view of the borate mining camp at Ryan, California. Though none of the mines have been in operation for years, US Borax keeps a watchman on site to keep the tourists out. Courtesy R. Currier.

Ryan 1964 – A view of the borate mining camp at Ryan in Death Valley. There are a number of mines near this camp that were all worked extensively for colemanite before borax was discovered in the Kramer district closer to Los Angeles. Courtesy R. Currier.

Ryan 1964 – A view of the borate mining camp at Ryan, in Death valley in 1964. Courtesy R. Currier.

Ryan 1964 – A view of the mine at Ryan. A tailings dump. The mines here were all underground and produced some nice specimens of colemanite, but very few compared to the giant open pit operations at Boron, California. Courtesy R. Currier.

Ryan 1964 – A view of the little locomotive that serviced various of the mines near the mining camp at Ryan and hauled the ore from the mines. The borate camp at Ryan was at one time connected by narrow gauge railway to a main line railway at Death Valley Junction to the East of Death Valley. All these railways are now gone, even the ties under the rails. Courtesy R. Currier.

Death Valley, Ryan 1972 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

People of the borax mines

FM “Borax” Smith (Francis Marion Smith) – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

John Ryan was General Superintendent of the Pacific Coast Borax Co. – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Warren F. Moreau worked with John Ryan and married Ryan’s daughter Katherine – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Katherine, daughter of John Ryan. She worked with Ryan in Death Valley and Married Warren F. Moreau – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Left to right Jack Davis General Mine Foreman, Jean Tischner and Frank Sands at the Lila C mine, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Sands and children at the Lila C Mine, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

The line up for chow at the Company Boarding House 1910 at the Lila C Mine, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

The Death Valley Brass Band at the Lila C Mine, Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Jimmie Dodson – old time cousin Jack, single jack miner – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Harry P. Gower and baby Mary Lillian Gower on the “Baby Gauge Railroad” – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Union Pacific employees on the gasoline combination passenger and freight car on the DVRR in Ryan – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Union Pacific employees on the timber tram at the Widow Mine, Ryan, California – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Other early mining period transportation

CL Best steam tractor combine. Years 1888 to 1908 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Old Dinah locomotive and ore wagons bringing ore from Borate to Daggett 1900 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Old Dinah hauling borax ore from Old Borate to Daggett – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Lew Parker, 1902 Cadillac – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

1902 Cadillac, first car driven to Death Valley in 1904 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Old Dinah steam tractor built by Best of San Leandro, Calif. Cost $4,500 each, 250 pounds of coal per hour, 3.5 miles per hour. Used one year, Borate to Daggett 1901, then to Ivanpah. Broke down after 3 miles. In 1906 towed back to Ludlow and sold. – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Old Dinah – The Borax Industry – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

The Skiddo Ballanst Stage leaving Beatty 1909 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

The Desert Flyer 1910 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

CL Best first gasoline tractor 1918 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Borate & Daggett RR in Mule Canyon on way to Borate – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Freighting on the desert with mule team – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Tonopah & Tidewater combination train at Ludlow, terminus of the line connecting with Santa Fe RR – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

The Tonopah & Tidewater leaving Springdale, Nevada – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Al Riddle driving Union Pacific RR bus 1930 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Tonopah & Tidewater Baldwin Locomotive – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Last train on the Tonopah & Tidewater Railraod, June 14, 1946 – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Cadillac at Zabriskie Point – Courtesy National Park Service, Death Valley National Park

Current Events

Henry Golas, Death Valley Fund, Death Valley Conservancy.

Preston Chiaro, Rio Tinto (July 27, 2009) & Death Valley Fund. Courtesy of Rio Tinto. Copyright © 2014 Rio Tinto

Tom Albanese, Rio Tinto. (Christinne Muschi, file photo: Reuters)

Superintendent James T. Reynolds, National Park Service, Death Valley.

Director Jon Jarvis, National Park Service.

United States Senator Dianne Feinstein

Superintendent Sarah Craighead, National Park Service, Death Valley.

DEATH VALLEY, Calif., May 6, 2013 /PRNewswire – The Death Valley Conservancy logo. (PRNewsFoto/The Death Valley Conservancy)

“Handover of the key”. From left to right, Dr. Bill Adams, Rio Tinto, Henry Golas, VP of the Death Valley Conservancy, Scott Smith, Superintendent of Ryan Camp, and Preston Chiaro, President of the Death Valley Conservancy. (PRNewsFoto/The Death Valley Conservancy)