Day 129: Gin Lin Hydraulic Mining Site, Applegate Valley, Oregon
📌APIA Every Day (129) - The Gin Lin Hydraulic Mining Site in Oregon’s Applegate Valley is named after Gin Lin, a Chinese entrepreneur who introduced hydraulic mining to the area. Hydraulic mining, a technique using high-pressure water to erode gold-bearing sediments from hillsides, greatly increased gold recovery but also caused environmental damage through the production of waste rock and debris. Gin Lin's operations were notably successful, leading to significant gold deposits in a Jacksonville bank.
The Chinese arrived in southwest Oregon by 1855. Gin Lin, the owner of the Gin Lin Mining Company, purchased claims along the lower Little Applegate River in 1864. He initially worked with one hydraulic system but added a second in 1878 and continued to expand. He was highly successful, reportedly earning millions from his mining operations. His hydraulic mining efforts left visible marks along the trail, showcasing the scale of his work. Gin Lin and his laborers’ efforts paid off, resulting in over a million dollars’ worth of gold dust deposited in Jacksonville.
The success of Chinese miners, including Gin Lin, led to tensions with other miners, exacerbated by cultural differences and resulting in discriminatory laws that unfairly taxed Chinese and other ethnic minorities. These laws, along with violence and theft, forced many Chinese miners to leave the area, with some taking jobs in railroad construction and others returning to China. The exact fate of Gin Lin remains uncertain, with one account suggesting he was robbed and fatally beaten upon his return to China. The mining site was recommended as a potential National Historic Landmark by the NPS AAPI National Historic Landmark Theme Study.
LEARN MORE:
Oregon Encyclopedia: Chinese Mining in Oregon
USDA Forest Service: Gin Lin Mining Trail History
NPS: AAPI National Historic Landmark Theme Study (pg. 373)
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