Message posted by Peter Merlin on February 23, 2006 at 21:43:10 PST:

The first record of prospecting activity in the area was in 1864 when lead-silver discoveries were made in the southern Groom Mountains. The district was organized by Conception Mines, an English company, in 1871 under the name Groome Mines Limited. Other nearby claims included the Willow, Maria, and Whitelake.

J.B.Osborne and his partners acquired the claims at Groom in 1876. In 1916, the claims were incorporated as the Groom Nevada Lead Mines Company and the Groom Southend Mining Company. Several operators leased the property until Osborne's death in 1918.

Production resumed after World War II. The Sheahan family operated the mine into the 1950s. Work was frequently interrupted during that time by nearby atomic testing. The Sheahans continued to work the property intermittently until the land was seized by the Air Force in 1984.

I managed to pick up a stock certificate from the Groom Southend Mine (later known as the Black Metal Mine).

In Reply to: Re: Ghost town in Area 51? posted by Joerg (Webmaster) on February 22, 2006 at 18:00:31 PST:

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