Mad as a Hatter: Defining the Negative Impacts of Gold Mining on the Historic Community in Nevada County, California

Purpose of the Study: The intent of this thesis is to gain a better understanding of the use of toxic material during historic gold mining operations and its impact on the historic community. Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park is home to what once was once the largest hydraulic mining operations in the state of California and is currently testing high for mercury levels. The mining operations and community at Malakoff were used as a case study for the purposes of this thesis. Previous literature regarding industrial archaeology, the increased concern with residual environmental impacts, and the management of historic resources such as Malakoff were reviewed. This, in combination with a historiography of the Malakoff area, a review of the negative impacts caused by mining and mercury use, and an analysis of documentary resources regarding Malakoff and its historic community, addresses questions about toxic exposure at a historic mine site.

Methods: To answer the questions outlined in this thesis, multiple types of documentary records were accessed. These include: burial and cemetery records, Nevada County census records, mining company records, tax assessor's records, maps, historic newspaper articles, and personal correspondence. These sources were examined for indicators of mercury exposure, mention of mercury use, community placement within the landscape, and proximity to water.

Findings: While there is an abundance of documentary material regarding Malakoff, deciphering mercury use and exposure from them was difficult. There was often no mention of cause of death, or issues defined out right as mercury poisoning. That being said, mercury use was prevalent at Malakoff, as well as the surrounding areas, and the negative effects of mercury were known. However, the lack of data regarding this topic opens new avenues for research and begins to create more questions regarding corporate responsibility and public health.

Conclusions: This thesis examines the negative impacts of the use of toxic material in mining activities on the historic community. While there were limitations to the research, such as lack of detailed information in the historical record, this thesis sets new standards and perhaps new practices when investigating industrial sites, such as those at Malakoff.