About Empire Mine State Historic Park
Empire Mine State Historic Park preserves one of California’s oldest, deepest, and most productive hard-rock gold mines. Operating for more than a century before closing in 1956, the mine developed an immense underground network and produced millions of ounces of gold, illustrating the technological and corporate evolution of mining after the early placer-mining phase of the California Gold Rush.
The historic area includes mine-yard buildings, equipment, the entrance to the underground workings, a blacksmith shop, and a visitor center displaying a remarkable scale model of the mine’s hundreds of miles of tunnels. The park also preserves the Bourn family’s country estate, known as the Cottage, together with its clubhouse and restored English-style gardens, revealing the sharp contrast between executive life and the demanding labor of underground miners.
Guided estate, mine-yard, and seasonal garden tours are included with entry when staffing and weather permit. Beyond the historic core, visitors can use miles of trails through the park’s forested backcountry, making the site a strong combination of industrial history, architecture, gardens, and outdoor recreation.
