It can be said that clay turned to gold in the case of Ezra Hamilton. Hamilton owned and operated a pottery company in Los Angeles during the late 1870s and needed better quality clay than the local soil produced. He obtained a sample that came from the hills bordering the north side of Antelope Valley some fifty miles or so from Los Angeles. It was exactly the quality Hamilton needed for his business. He bought the property from its owner and took out two additional mineral claims. During the early 1890s, the economy slowed down and Hamilton started to pan the clay soil on his hill. He discovered what turned out to be gold. So, Mr. Hamilton's interest turned from clay to gold. The property has undergone a number of different owners since Hamilton's find in 1896. Operations continued until 1956 when the mine was closed, no longer being profitable to operate. The Tropico Gold Camp is closed to visitors in summer due to extreme desert heat. There are, however, weekend mine tours the year around as the underground levels are always cool. Submitted by Henry Chenowith.