Franklin Mine Gem #3

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Can you identify the men in this photo?

This photograph was taken sometime in the 1920’s or 1930’s in Franklin, King County, Washington. It is of two men who are probably not miners, due to the style of their dress. The standing man is simply in trousers and no particular footwear, meaning he and probably the second man were visitors to the mine.

Perhaps they were businessmen or engineers come to visit to see if the mine was worth keeping open.


The mine entrance is to the “Gem Mine #3”, the third mine of this name. The first one was the biggest and was on the Green River. The second was a bit further down river and this one, the third, was the smallest and was above the river, between it and the railroad tracks, below the present-day track to the Franklin Cemetery.

This photo is part of a larger photo, the rest of which is trees and background, and which hangs in the Black Diamond Historical Museum. The “gas” sign was often posted even if there was no danger of gas as it scared people off and prevented them from going into the mine, which
could be dangerous.

Who are the two men? Is a more specific date known? The 1920’s or 1930’s is a guess as the Franklin mines closed down just before World War II. If you have information about this photo, please call Don Mason of the Black Diamond Historical Museum at 360-469-4091 or email him at dmlmason@comcast.net.

Submitted by Don Mason. Article written Kathleen MacLeod Hanzeli
© 2019
Kathleen MacLeod Hanzeli


Comments

  1. ValorieMay 13, 2019 at 12:07 PM

    Tweeted the photo: https://twitter.com/skcgs1/status/1128013640253067264

    Thanks for posting!

    ReplyDelete

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