TULE CANYON

NAME: Tule Canyon
COUNTY: Esmeralda
ROADS: 2WD
GRID #(see map): 7
CLIMATE: Hot summer days in lower canyon, pleasant to raw winter days in lower canyon, upper canyon generally will have snow in winter.
BEST TIME TO VISIT:
Spring, Autumn, Winter (upper canyon Ok in Summer)
COMMENTS: The middle section of the canyon has been closed in the last couple of years due to mining, but the mining company has provided bypass roads to access the lower and upper canyon.
REMAINS:
Stone walls, wood shacks, mine shafts, headframes, vehicles, motorized equipment.

Tule Canyon is a shallow canyon that runs from the Lida Range and empties into the extreme northern tip of Death Valley. The canyon has been a relatively quiet, but steadily worked placer gold mining area all along its length. There are legends that mines have been worked by Indians, Spanish and Mexican prospectors long before this land became part of the United States. During the 1890's an outpost called Senners (or Senner Post Office) was occupied in the upper portion of the canyon. During the first decade of the 20th century, Roosevelt City (or Roosevelts and Roosevelts Well) sprang up and died off just as quickly. The area has been steadily worked by a small population or just a few individuals since. There has seldom been a period of time since 1850 that the region was entirely abandoned, and today a large scale operation is working north of the Roosevelt City site.
Submitted by David A. Wright


Rusted tin cans and stone walls found at Roosevelt City. November 1995.
Courtesy David A. Wright


Stone ruins at Roosevelt City. The area in the background contains Roosevelt Well, which still gives forth water today. November 1995.
Courtesy David A. Wright


Roosevelt Well. Only remaining standing cabin at Roosevelt City in the background. November 1995.
Courtesy David A. Wright


Remains of Rachford's Stage Station. This area is now off limits because of mining activity, and of this writing, the author does not know if the ruins have been razed. When I took this photo in November 1995, I was standing at the edge of a strip mining area.
Courtesy David A. Wright


Roosevelt City Main Street
Courtesy Daniel Megard


Bachelors Camp - Roosevelt City
Courtesy Daniel Megard


Dam Site - Roosevelt City
Courtesy Daniel Megard


Pine Creek Flood - 1906
Courtey Daniel Megard


Roosevelt Church
Courtesy Daniel Megard


Stone ruins in the lower part of Tule Canyon. The mountains in the background are the Last Chance Range across the extreame northern section of Death Valley. November 1995.
Courtesy David A. Wright


My wife stands in the doorway of the only remaining standing cabin at Roosevelt City. November 1995.
Courtesy David A. Wright


An old drilling rig mounted upon a Ford chassis found in the middle section of Tule Canyon. January 1997.
Courtesy David A. Wright


Collapsed cabin found at Roosevelt City. November 1995.
Courtesy David A. Wright


Remains of a mill at Roosevelt City. November 1995.
Courtesy David A. Wright


Site of Senner Post Office in the upper portion of Tule Canyon. McGruder Mountain in the Lida Range in background. November 1995.
Courtesy David A. Wright


Roosevelt City
Courtesy Daniel Megard


Salt River
Courtesy Daneil Megard


Whirney's Flume
Courtesy Daneil Megard


Roosevelt City
Courtesy Daniel Megard

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