Monte Cristo Mine is a mine located in the county of Yavapai, Arizona, USA.

Original owner Ezra W. Thayer He was a hardware merchant in Phoenix. The mine was originally worked by Mexicans who recovered large amounts of silver from ore that they mined and smelted. The kiln in which the ore was treated was a short distance down the gulch from their workings, around it were tens of tons of slag.---a couple of prospectors learned that they were not American citizens and therefore had no legal rights to the claim. --- and they exercised their legal rights by locating the claims and driving the Mexicans off after a couple of days of gun play but no shooting. The prospectors got what was coming to them and after several months, they found no signs of the area where any of it had came from. Apparently the prospectors owed Thayer money which they couldn’t pay----he took the claims over and the former owners departed.

1926 C.C. Julian purchased the mine. Whenever he was asked about selling it he would say, “The Monte Cristo Mine is not for sale”.

1933 High tension was run from Prescott. A boarding building for 100 men was built along with several cottages; they all had water and sewage. They also built a blacksmith shop. There were a total of 11 buildings.

The mine went into receivership in 1938 or 1939. Dr. N. H. Morrison purchased it.

The mine is 1150 feet deep and had drifts at each 100’ level. Approximately 22,000 feet of tunnels.

1970 The head shed and three surface buildings were destroyed by fire set by juveniles.

1972 The owner was listed as Perry Underwood. He also owned the Wickenburg Lumber Co. (I don’t know purchase date)

7/12/76 W.K Presmyko was the owner. (I don’t know purchase date)

1976 The Goldex company from Spokane, WA contracted with Southern Mines from Vancover BC for $200,000 to rehabilitate and develop the property. There was to be an 80 – 20% split of profits with Goldex getting 20%. Goldex was the same company that worked the Gold Bar.

--CactusRoper