Description

Overview of an active Congress Mining Camp, Yavapai County, Arizona.

Prospecting in the Congress area began in the 1860's. It was then known as the Date Creek Mining District (and later the Martinez District). Despite early activity and successes in the district, the discovery of the Congress Mine occurred about 20 years later. The mine was located at an elevation of 3396 feet and its’ main commodities were gold and silver, as well as copper, lead and uranium.

Dennis May was the first individual to stake a claim at the original Congress mine camp in 1870. However, it wasn’t until 1884, after much work had been done, that he was able to locate the profitable core of what would become the Congress Mine. May sold his mining claims to outside investors for $30,000 in 1887. At that point, with verified deposits located, outside capital onboard, and a successful mine and stamp mill in operation, the town of Congress grew up around the mine.

Congress boomed in the 1890's with the arrival of the railroad just a few miles away at Congress Junction, and new investments in the mine. The Congress mine, also nicknamed “Queen of the Hills,” became for a time one of Arizona's largest gold producers. An article in the December 22, 1897 edition of the Arizona Weekly Journal Miner boasted: “A visit to the Congress Mine would convince the most skeptical of the mineral resources of the southern part of the county. The pay roll at Congress embodies 425 men and this number is regularly employed. The present mines have plenty of gold in sight…”

During the 1950’s, after the mine shut down, the town didn't last long and the post office was moved to the railroad hub at Congress Junction. Today, the town known as "Congress" is actually old Congress Junction, and little remains of the original town site.