Masters Thesis

Landscapes of Quicksilver: Toward a Historic Context of Mercury Mining in the Mayacamas Mountain Range

Despite the abundance of resources related to quicksilver mining in the Mayacamas Mountain Range, there is no research framework that deals specifically with this form of mining in this region. The purpose of this thesis is to develop a historic context of quicksilver mining in the Mayacamas Mountains that will aid professionals in the fields of cultural resources management (CRM) and historic preservation when assessing the significance of these properties and their eligibility to the National or California Registers of Historic Places. This thesis draws from the following theoretical orientations: historical archaeologies of 19th and 20th century mining, cultural landscape theory, and the New Western History. In addition, this thesis borrows from Noble and Spude's National Register Bulletin 42 (1992) and the Historic Context and Archaeological Research Design for Mining Properties in California (2008) that was published by the California Department of Transportation. Through extensive scholarly research, this thesis develops a set of themes and research questions that can be used to assess the significance of quicksilver properties within this particular region. To assess the effectiveness of this framework, a sample of six quicksilver mines are provided in this study while providing recommendations for future research.

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