We made a quick stop at the Harmony Borax Works at the end of the our day of exploring around the Death Valley National Park. It was about 4:15 when we pulled into the parking lot and when we climbed out of the car there was a noticeable increase in the temperature since we left Aguereberry Point. So after dripping about 6500 feet in elevation the temperature was pushing the 90 degree mark. We only needed about 20 minutes to stroll along the less than half-mile interpretative trail through the old mill site. There are two key exhibits in addition to the informational signage, the wagons pulled but the 20-mule teams and the remains of the mill which included the old steam engine boiler. The mill sits above the parking area on a little rise so it affords a nice view of the surrounding area. But this is Death Valley, so it is about 200 feet below sea level. The markers arrayed along the trail through the mill provided details on the history of the borax industry in Death Valley. Surprisingly, the Harmony Borax Works and the 20-mule team wagon operation used to transport the minerals were only in operation for about five years. This was a very short time considering how enduring the part of the American west the Borax mining operations and the huge mule-drawn wagon have become. William Coleman built the Harmony plant in late 1883 about two years after the discovery of Borax near Greenland (the original name of Furnace Creek). At full capacity, the plant produced three tons of borax daily and employed 40 men. However the plant was shutdown during the summer months as the temperature were so high that the processing water would cool sufficiently to allow the suspended borax to crystallize so the operation was moved to the Amargosa Borax Plant. The Harmony operations was also famous for its method of moving the processed borax to market, the huge ore wagons and water tank pulled by the 20-mule teams. The wagons were huge with the rear wheels being 7 feet in diameter. But they were only on business until 1888 when Coleman’s financial empire collapsed and the Harmony works were shutdown for good. Still an interesting snapshot of history and some interesting images for the camera.

Walking

This is a short, relatively flat walk, so it is easy. But it is completely exposed, so be careful out in the heat of the day.

Death Valley National Park, historical site, walk, mining, National Park

Furnace Creek, California, United States

time : Mar 27, 2016 4:17 PM

duration : 0h 17m 10s

distance : 0.4 mi

total_ascent : 141 ft

highest_point : 0 ft

avg_speed : 1.4 mi/h

user_id : OhioHick

user_firstname : Allen

user_lastname : Arrington

We made a quick stop at the Harmony Borax Works at the end of the our day of exploring around the Death Valley National Park. It was about 4:15 when we pulled into the parking lot and when we climbed out of the car there was a noticeable increase in the temperature since we left Aguereberry Point. So after dripping about 6500 feet in elevation the temperature was pushing the 90 degree mark. We only needed about 20 minutes to stroll along the less than half-mile interpretative trail through the old mill site. There are two key exhibits in addition to the informational signage, the wagons pulled but the 20-mule teams and the remains of the mill which included the old steam engine boiler. The mill sits above the parking area on a little rise so it affords a nice view of the surrounding area. But this is Death Valley, so it is about 200 feet below sea level. The markers arrayed along the trail through the mill provided details on the history of the borax industry in Death Valley. Surprisingly, the Harmony Borax Works and the 20-mule team wagon operation used to transport the minerals were only in operation for about five years. This was a very short time considering how enduring the part of the American west the Borax mining operations and the huge mule-drawn wagon have become. William Coleman built the Harmony plant in late 1883 about two years after the discovery of Borax near Greenland (the original name of Furnace Creek). At full capacity, the plant produced three tons of borax daily and employed 40 men. However the plant was shutdown during the summer months as the temperature were so high that the processing water would cool sufficiently to allow the suspended borax to crystallize so the operation was moved to the Amargosa Borax Plant. The Harmony operations was also famous for its method of moving the processed borax to market, the huge ore wagons and water tank pulled by the 20-mule teams. The wagons were huge with the rear wheels being 7 feet in diameter. But they were only on business until 1888 when Coleman’s financial empire collapsed and the Harmony works were shutdown for good. Still an interesting snapshot of history and some interesting images for the camera.