Hirshey Mine

Hirshey Mine is an archaeological site in the mountains of south-central Alaska, on the east side of Palmer Creek about 12 miles southeast of Hope, in what is now Chugach National Forest. In the first half of the 20th century it was one of the major gold mines in the northern mountains of the Kenai Peninsula. The claim was staked in 1911 by John Hirshey, an early settler of Hope who had arrived in the area in 1895. He called it his Lucky Strike. Unlike many nearby gold claims, which were not underground operations, the Hirshey Mine was worked through tunnels and remained active until 1942, when mines in the area were closed. By the time the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, what remained included two building remnants, the entrance to one of the tunnels, and discarded equipment. Its significance lies in preserving evidence of an important phase of gold mining on the Kenai Peninsula and of the more substantial underground methods used at a mine that stood out in its region.

Sunrise, Alaska · United States