The Lost Blue Bucket Mine refers to gold nuggets discovered by three boys from Stephen Meek’s wagon train on August 25, 1845, near present-day Vale, Oregon. Exhausted pioneers mistook the 15-20 yellow stones for copper, though Mrs. Fisher kept one nugget later confirmed as genuine gold. Despite organized expeditions starting in 1857, the site’s never been relocated within a 40,000-square-mile search zone. The legend sparked Canyon Creek’s 1862 gold rush yielding 800,000 ounces, yet the original location remains one of Oregon’s greatest unsolved mysteries that continues attracting modern prospectors.
Key Takeaways
- The Blue Bucket Mine legend originated in August 1845 when children collected gold nuggets mistaken for copper during an Oregon Trail wagon journey.
- The discovery site remains unidentified within a 40,000-square-mile area between Vale and The Dalles along Meek’s cutoff route.
- Organized search expeditions from 1857-1861 failed to locate the original site despite multiple attempts by various parties.
- Related discoveries in 1862-1863 yielded over 800,000 ounces of gold at Canyon Creek, supporting 5,000 miners at peak.
- The Blue Bucket Mining Company operated claims on Desolation Creek near Dale, inspired by the legendary 1845 discovery.
The 1845 Wagon Train Discovery
In the spring of 1845, approximately 400 pioneers departed Iowa on a westward journey that would inadvertently lead to one of Oregon’s most enduring mining legends. You’ll find this expedition traveled 1,500 miles using ox-drawn wagons, eventually splitting at hot springs near present-day Vale.
Stephen Meek promised a shortcut westward, leading one group off the established route. On August 25, 1845, three young men searching for lost oxen discovered 15-20 yellow pebbles while quenching their thirst at a small stream. They’d unknowingly stumbled upon gold—four years before California’s famous strike.
Gold discovered accidentally in Oregon four years before California’s 1849 rush, mistaken for worthless copper by weary wagon train pioneers.
The older pioneers mistook these nuggets for copper, lacking any gold processing knowledge. One boy claimed he could’ve filled a blue bucket with similar stones, though they discarded them. The early reports of the nuggets’ discovery remained secret for years, with the location initially unknown.
Only Mrs. Fisher preserved a single nugget from this fateful discovery. Three years later, when gold was discovered in California, she recognized her nugget as actual gold, rekindling the legend of the Lost Blue Bucket Mine.
How the Legend Began
You’ll find the legend’s origins in a seemingly insignificant moment when members of the 1845 wagon train collected yellow pebbles, dismissing them as curiosities while struggling through Oregon’s harsh terrain.
The children reportedly gathered these metallic stones in a blue bucket during the journey, but the exhausted emigrants discarded them, focused solely on survival. Some party members kept a few pebbles, believing they might serve as useful fishing sinkers for future needs.
Recognition came years later when California’s 1848 gold discovery prompted Sol Tetherow and others to recall those abandoned yellow rocks, transforming a forgotten incident into the enduring mystery of the Blue Bucket Mine. The wagon train split at a hot spring near Vale, Oregon, where different groups chose separate routes through the wilderness.
The 1845 Discovery
During August 1845, three young men from the Meek Wagon Train ventured from their dry camp to search for water or lost cattle—a routine task that would spawn one of Oregon’s most enduring treasure legends.
Following a dry creek bed through geological formations of lava potholes, they discovered 15-20 coarse yellow nuggets on August 25th. William J. Herren and cousin Dan Herren collected the shiny pebbles while quenching their thirst at a small seeping stream.
When questioned about quantity, one youth famously replied they “could have filled one of these blue buckets.” Older emigrants dismissed the find as worthless copper—a common mistake in pre-Gold Rush America.
Historical documents confirm Mrs. Fisher retained a single nugget, later verified as genuine gold after California’s 1848 discovery transformed public understanding of precious metals. The wagon train had become lost near the Malheur River after following the Meek Cutoff of the Oregon Trail. Stephen Meek had suggested this risky westward route across Oregon’s high desert as a shortcut diverging from the main trail.
Yellow Pebbles Dismissed
The shiny yellow pebbles that would eventually spark decades of treasure hunting met immediate rejection at the wagon train camp. When the children returned with their finds, seasoned travelers examined the 15-20 colorful stones and pronounced them copper.
A blacksmith tested one pebble by hammering it against a metal wagon tire—it flattened easily, seemingly confirming the copper assumption. These historical misidentifications weren’t surprising in 1845, three years before California’s Gold Rush would familiarize Americans with raw placer gold.
The grownups puzzled over the discovery but dismissed it as worthless copper. Mrs. Fisher kept just one nugget while the rest were discarded. The adults discouraged taking more rocks, citing the burden on the animals that were already struggling through the difficult terrain.
You’ll recognize this pattern: rare artifacts often go unrecognized until context changes their meaning, transforming yesterday’s curiosities into tomorrow’s treasures.
Gold Rush Recognition
Upon reaching The Dalles in October 1845, Mrs. Fisher’s retained nugget received proper identification as gold—three years before California’s 1848 discovery transformed the West.
This recognition sparked what you’d recognize today as organic franchise branding, where the “Blue Bucket” name became shorthand for untold riches waiting in Oregon’s interior.
The legend’s marketing strategies spread through:
- Word-of-mouth accounts at trading posts and settlements
- Emigrant trail stories repeated across Western territories
- Newspaper reports fueling speculation in valley counties
- Prospector recruitment campaigns promising bucket-sized fortunes
First Organized Search Parties (1857-1861)
You’ll find the first documented organized search began in 1857 when James McBride, an original wagon train member, led an expedition from Yreka, California to the creek where his party had reportedly found nuggets years earlier. That same year, Nelson Cochran organized 50 men to investigate Wagontire Mountain, following the trail Benjamin Herron’s 1854 party had traced before Native Americans drove them off.
McBride returned empty-handed in 1858, while Jacob Currier mounted a second attempt with 44 men, searching from the Deschutes to Malheur Rivers but discovering only yellow rocks that resembled gold without being it. These loosely organized expeditions often ended in disaster due to Indian attacks and poor discipline, with miners frequently forced to retreat over mountains when hostile tribes launched sudden charges that scattered horses and left men stranded.
McBride’s 1857 Solo Expedition
James McBride, a veteran of the 1845 Meek Cutoff expedition, departed Yreka, California, in 1857 to conduct the first organized individual search for the elusive Blue Bucket discovery site. Drawing from his wagon train memories, he traveled eastward toward Malheur River region streams, steering near Fremont Peak (now Castle Rock on North Fork Malheur River).
His explorer logistics faced significant challenges:
- Water scarcity mirrored the original 1845 party’s hardships
- Terrain confusion resembled Meek’s group mistaking Steens Mountain for the Cascades
- Solo operation eliminated large party support systems
- Creek-specific nugget targeting differed from broader mineral speculation sweeps
McBride returned empty-handed in 1858, yet his failure reinforced persistent beliefs in coarse placer gold hidden within lava-pocked canyons—fueling the legend that would drive decades of subsequent searches.
Cochran and Currier Attempts
Three years after McBride’s solo venture, Nelson Cochran assembled the first major organized party—a 50-man expedition that departed valley counties in 1860, targeting Wagontire Mountain based on fragmentary 1845 wagon train testimony.
You’ll find that Native tribes swiftly repelled Cochran’s group, exposing a critical weakness: expedition discipline collapsed once they crossed the mountains. Officers lacked enforcement authority, and overconfident members saw no need for guards.
Jacob Currier’s 1861 expedition followed with 44 men, systematically searching from Deschutes River to Malheur River. His party discovered yellow rocks resembling gold, but laboratory analysis revealed worthless specimens. The search route covered approximately 100 miles of trail outside the main gold belt, passing near landmarks that early pioneers had identified.
Both expeditions demonstrate how loose organization predetermined failure—you needed military-grade structure to survive tribal territories while conducting methodical prospecting. These coordinated efforts marked a changeover from individual searches to organized campaigns, yet insufficient discipline ensured continued disappointment.
Notable Expeditions Through the Decades
Within a year of the alleged 1845 discovery, organized searches for the Blue Bucket Mine began in earnest. You’ll find documented expeditions spanning decades, each revealing how geological formations and Native American artifacts shaped search strategies.
Key expedition milestones include:
- 1851-1854: Early parties discovered wagon train evidence on Wagontire Mountain, though Benjamin Herron’s 1854 attempt faced tribal resistance.
- 1857-1861: Valley county companies crossed the Cascades via Middle Fork Willamette River, targeting dry stream beds with lava potholes.
- 1860-1861: Nelson Cochran’s 50-man party and Jacob Currier’s 44-man expedition scoured territory from Deschutes to Malheur River.
- 1863-1960: Searches continued from Canyon Creek’s 5,000 miners to modern claim filings.
Each expedition followed Meek’s trail, seeking coarse placer gold in canyon bottoms where geological formations created natural collection points.
Gold Strikes Attributed to Blue Bucket Searches
While decades of organized expeditions systematically followed Meek’s trail, the searches themselves triggered significant gold discoveries across eastern Oregon, even when prospectors never located the legendary Blue Bucket deposit.
You’ll find the most substantial strike occurred in 1862 when prospectors seeking the legend origins discovered coarse placer gold in Canyon, Dixie, and Griffin creeks. By 1863, 5,000 miners worked Canyon Creek, extracting deposits matching the dry streambed descriptions from 1845. Over 800,000 ounces of gold would eventually be extracted from Canyon Creek alone, leading to speculation about the mine’s true location.
The 1936 Blue Mountains discovery—16 miles east of Dale—produced coarse nuggets echoing the children’s original find, though separate from three unrelated Blue Bucket mines.
These prospecting myths inadvertently mapped eastern Oregon’s mineral wealth, transforming folklore into legitimate mining operations that spanned 40,000 square miles.
Blue Bucket Mining Company Operations
Among the numerous enterprises capitalizing on the Blue Bucket legend, the Blue Bucket Mining Company established the most substantial corporate operation on Desolation Creek in northern Grant County, several miles south of Dale. President R. H. Russell directed operations from Spokane, while Franz Henrtburg supervised field work at the 4,839-foot elevation site.
The company’s legendary origins linked directly to the 1845 pioneer discovery, with their ore body believed connected to the original Blue Bucket site.
Their mining technologies and development strategy included:
- Lower tunnel driven into Desolation Creek property accessing 50-foot-wide ore body
- Power sites developed along Desolation Creek for operational needs
- Surface workings revealing gold-bearing overburden across Yellow Queen claim
- 27 claims secured plus strategic mill and power sites
North Dakota investors funded this ambitious venture through private syndicate financing.
Modern Theories and Ongoing Mystery
Despite over 150 years of investigation, the Blue Bucket Mine‘s location remains contested across a vast 40,000-square-mile corridor stretching between Vale and The Dalles along the Meek Wagon Train‘s documented route.
After more than 150 years, the legendary Blue Bucket Mine remains hidden somewhere in a massive 40,000-square-mile search zone.
You’ll find competing theories placing the site on John Day River tributaries, Bear Creek near Crooked River, or Canyon Creek’s Spanish Gulch.
Charles Hoffman’s 1974 expedition traced Jesse Harrit’s 1845 diary, claiming discovery in his 1992 book—yet he never revealed coordinates.
The silt burial hypothesis suggests flood waters concealed surface deposits, explaining why you can’t locate the original outcrop.
Mining folklore persists despite skeptics calling it fabricated, noting emigrants wouldn’t ignore gold for fishing sinkers.
Mystery legends continue driving searches in Grant County’s remote canyons, where freedom-seeking prospectors still pursue this elusive strike.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Happened to the Original Gold Nugget Kept by Mrs. Fisher?
The nugget’s fate remains unknown. You’ll find Mrs. Fisher kept it until the California Gold Rush era, when assay confirmed the gold discovery. After that verification, the nugget vanished from historical records without trace.
Why Didn’t the Wagon Train Return to Search for More Gold?
The wagon train couldn’t return because they didn’t recognize the gold until reaching The Dalles in October 1845, lacked precise location records, and prioritized survival over prospecting. Search aftermath proved futile—expeditions spanning decades failed to relocate the site.
How Much Gold Was Actually in the Original Discovery Site?
You’ll find no precise weight recorded in the mining legend—only that children filled one blue bucket with nuggets. This treasure controversy persists because emigrants documented volume, not ounces, leaving the actual quantity maddeningly uncertain.
Were Native American Tribes Aware of the Gold Location Earlier?
You’d think indigenous knowledge would’ve revealed gold’s presence, but there’s absolutely zero Native awareness documented in any archival evidence. The trails crossing discovery sites show tribal presence, yet no records confirm they recognized or valued those shiny deposits beforehand.
What Modern Technology Has Been Used to Search for the Mine?
You’ll find no documented evidence of modern technology like remote sensing or geographical surveys being used in Blue Bucket Mine searches. Historical records only detail traditional methods through the 1990s, leaving contemporary technological approaches unexplored in available archives.
References
- https://www.oregon.gov/dogami/milo/archive/MiningDistricts/GrantCounty/DesolationCreekDistrict/BlueBucketMiningCompany/BlueBucketMiningCompanyNews.pdf
- https://bluemountaineagle.com/2019/06/04/the-search-for-the-long-lost-blue-bucket-mine/
- https://www.legendsofamerica.com/or-bluebucket/
- https://petticoatsandpistols.com/2017/08/18/legend-lost-blue-bucket-mine-guest-blogger-susan-page-davis/
- https://offbeatoregon.com/1701d.blue-bucket-gold-mine-427.html
- https://wiki.blackrockdesert.org/wiki/Blue_Bucket_Mine
- https://eastoregonian.com/2018/08/24/gold-strike-thought-to-be-legendary-blue-bucket-mine/
- https://jbchambers.substack.com/p/lost-gold-and-broken-dreams-the-blue
- https://golddetecting.forumotion.net/t15754-in-quest-of-the-blue-bucket-mine
- http://www.offbeatoregon.com/H112_BlueBucket.htm
