The Lippincott Lead Mine aka Lead King Mine was discovered in 1906 and extensive works began by 1908. The mine, located in Racetrack Valley produced heavily during WWI. The Racetrack De Playa was used as a landing strip by the miners. Ore yielding 42% led and 8 ozs of silver made the long haul by truck down the now famous Lippincott Pass economical.
George Lippincott and sons purchase the claim in 1942. Despite ore yielding an incredible 63% led and 35 ozs of silver the mine was shutdown during WWII by the feds. The Lippincotts resumed operation from 1946 to 1951. Water for operations was trucked in and perhaps the lack of water caused its demise. Lippincott Jr. considered reopening the mine in 1974 assayed at 42% led and a whopping 36 ozs gold/ton.
Camping
We camped just below the mine at Homestake Dry Camp then made our way to the upper adits. Very little remains but foundations and timbers of the miners camp. The bat netting at the adits had been bypassed allowing one to enter. We saw the lower adits as we made our way down the famous Lippincott Pass Road.
Have you been? Did you work there? Please comment below!
5 Comments
I went there from 1947 to 1979. I learned to walk in my parents cabin up the hill from my grandparents cabin. Contact me, if you’d like, for more information or pictures.
How awesome, we reached out to you via email and would love to hear more!
Hello cousin,
I’m Jon Lippincott, third born son of Don A. Lippincott, grandson of Lester Emmert Lippincott (last of the Lippincott’s to be born while the original Pasadena property was still in the family), great grandson of William, etc. I’m guessing that you know the family history well enough to know the Lippincott’s came to SoCal in 1849 and bought 120 acres in Arroyo Seco, in what was to become the City of Pasadena, CA. I don’t know a whole lot of the history but Samuel and son Thomas arrived inn 1849 and very quickly Samuel passed that same year, so Thomas was pretty much who developed the holdings. One of the original 27 landowners of later Pasadena. Great grandfather William died in 1925, after which Great grandma Fleeta sold it and moved for a short time to Ogden, UT. If you have any info, I would love to hear about it, or I may be able to fill in some data for you.
Richard Lippincott & Abagail Goody came from England in 1639 on a ship named Mayflower, though not the original 1620 ship of Pilgrim’s fame.
Another Richard was a loyalist Captain and caused an International incident and George Washington wanted him hung. The British saved him and awarded him 1200 acres in Eastern Canada, where the only other significant population of Lippincott still carrying the name are located.
Somewhat depleted by now, only a bit more than 8,000 of us remain worldwide with none left in England, Apparently, there were some more to leave England later. We’re near extinction as a family name.
RSVP if you are inclined to do so.
Thanks for your time.
Cordially always,
Jon Lippincott
Sorry I didn’t get your email try again
Thanks! I emailed you again. Hope to hear from you.