Levi Smiley found gold on Smiley Creek in 1878, and E.M. Wilson discovered a still richer lode 8 miles above here near Vienna, on June 4, 1879.
Before shutting down in 1886, Vienna was a thriving mining camp with a $200,000 twenty-stamp mill to crush gold ore nearby. Miners here supported 14 saloons, 3 stores, 2 meat markets, a bank, a hotel, a sawmill, 2 livery stables, 6 restaurants, and in 1882, a newspaper. More than 200 buildings disappeared when Vienna became a ghost town shortly after 1900.
Comments 0 comments