The Union Hill Mines, which began in 1862, were located up the western slope of Union Hill from the mouth of Weaver Creek, at the head of Union Gulch. It was one of the largest placer mines in Trinity County. Water was ditched from Weaver Creek and Little Brown's Creek. In 1904, Peter M. Paulsen acquired control of enough claims, that he constructed a 15 mile long ditch from Grass Valley Creek, collecting water from Sawmill and Tom Lang Gulches. Paulsen constructed a 165' bridge on two concrete piers to support a 5,000' siphon through a 30" pipe with the outlet end dropping 300' in elevation into a 6.5' x 4.5' x 570' long tunnel that emptied into the upper holding pond at the mine. The overcantilever and flat steel bridge was wide enough for the pipe and a wagon. Paulsen sold to Trinity Consolidated Mining Co. in 1911. In 1921, Tacitus R. Arbuckle leased the mine, ceasing continuous operation, in 1928. The bridge was dismantled for scrap at the beginning of WW II.
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