"Although there are records of at least two gold mines in the Upper Peninsula, Alcona County had the only gold mine in the lower peninsula of Michigan.
"According to Frank Jozwiak of Harrison, who has the deed to the former Fleming farm on which the mine was located, and directions to the location given to him by his father, John Jozwiak, the discovery of gold in Haynes Township was kept secret for several months until a stock company was formed to establish a mining company.
"Old newspaper accounts tell that Indians, years ago, sold large quantities of silver and copper in Bay City and Saginaw. They claimed to have found it in the immediate vicinity of Harrisville but never revealed the exact source of the minerals.
"When gold nuggets were discovered in the same area in 1912 (Nov.), a mine shaft was sunk (in 1913 to 100 ft.) and tons of Alcona black dirt processed for gold. The venture ended in disaster when the steam operated equipment blew up (in 1914, killing 4 Domke brothers, and the shaft filling with water).
"The elder Jozwiak, who lived to be 89 years old and died at his home in Bay City in 1956, said an old man lived in a shack near the creek and while everyone was involved in the excitement of the gold discovery and busy sinking a mine shaft, the old man started shoveling dirt along the creek banks and hauling it to his house. He worked during the summer hauling dirt to his property in a wheelbarrow then worked all winter panning for gold.
"Jozwiak said the old man made his living from the gold for years, and it was rumored that he made a fortune in gold long after the gold mine was abandoned. Deeds to the property describe it as in the northwest quarter of Section 8, Haynes Township. Frank made a trip to Harrisville in the summer of 1969 in an attempt to find the abandoned mine shaft but was unsuccessful."
story checks out, i will be posing a video soon, and when snow melts i will post a video of the mine both by the natives and the brothers and its awesomeness, i do need help with recovering gold and documenting the history, please contact.
"According to Frank Jozwiak of Harrison, who has the deed to the former Fleming farm on which the mine was located, and directions to the location given to him by his father, John Jozwiak, the discovery of gold in Haynes Township was kept secret for several months until a stock company was formed to establish a mining company.
"Old newspaper accounts tell that Indians, years ago, sold large quantities of silver and copper in Bay City and Saginaw. They claimed to have found it in the immediate vicinity of Harrisville but never revealed the exact source of the minerals.
"When gold nuggets were discovered in the same area in 1912 (Nov.), a mine shaft was sunk (in 1913 to 100 ft.) and tons of Alcona black dirt processed for gold. The venture ended in disaster when the steam operated equipment blew up (in 1914, killing 4 Domke brothers, and the shaft filling with water).
"The elder Jozwiak, who lived to be 89 years old and died at his home in Bay City in 1956, said an old man lived in a shack near the creek and while everyone was involved in the excitement of the gold discovery and busy sinking a mine shaft, the old man started shoveling dirt along the creek banks and hauling it to his house. He worked during the summer hauling dirt to his property in a wheelbarrow then worked all winter panning for gold.
"Jozwiak said the old man made his living from the gold for years, and it was rumored that he made a fortune in gold long after the gold mine was abandoned. Deeds to the property describe it as in the northwest quarter of Section 8, Haynes Township. Frank made a trip to Harrisville in the summer of 1969 in an attempt to find the abandoned mine shaft but was unsuccessful."
story checks out, i will be posing a video soon, and when snow melts i will post a video of the mine both by the natives and the brothers and its awesomeness, i do need help with recovering gold and documenting the history, please contact.
