The Griggstown Copper Mine location is unknown today, but it supposed to be located somewhere within the Griggstown mountains.
"The exact date of discovery of the Griggs Town mine is not known", The Pennsylvania Gazette of January 16, 1753 reported the presence near Griggstown of a valuable 'copper vein of six foot square', mining shares in which were offered for sale about 1765.
Ore is said to have been raised before the American Revolution according to a Grand Son of Captain Rule, the original mine manager, who stated that his Grandfather employed 160 Welsh miners; That considerable ore was shipped to England for smelting; that mining ceased when the Revolution began; and that the property was idle for the next forty years".
"The mineral Industry of New Jersey" by S.H. Hamilton state Geologist of New Jersey for 1903 - pp 109-111 1904 Apparently the mine was reopened early in the 19th century when it was worked for a short time at a reported considerable financial loss. The mine was mentioned in a report of 1812, but the property was described as being dilapidated in 1840 and 1844 when the workings were no longer accessible below ground. In the latter year the mine was referred to as the Franklin Copper Mine, ' formerly extensively worked, its deepest shaft was said to have reached 190-feet.
Directions to the Mine
The Copper Mine ~ 1904
"Historical Collections of New Jersey" page 454 New York 1844. The mine is located at the edge of a hilly tract about 8 miles north of Princeton and 3 miles north pf Rocky Hill, Franklin Township, Somerset County, N.J." Page 111 The Grandson of Capt., Rule, who was the first manager of the mine states that Miners from Wales worked the property in colonial times and carried ore back to England to be treated. It is stated that at one time 160 miners were employed at the mine, but the Revolutionary War put an end' to operations".
This cache replaces "The Copper Mine" GCYNZY 2006 by nikcap, which was archived to make room for the new Griggstown Geotrail. We appreciate nikcaps efforts to make room for the new caches.
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