About the Vulture Gold Mine
The Vulture’s Discovery

There are numerous stories about how Henry Wickenburg discovered the Vulture Mine, including the following:

Wickenburg picked up a rock to throw at a stubborn burro, and noticed gold traces in the rock.

Wickenburg was camped in the desert, and wanted to sweep out his tent. He shot a vulture, intending to use a wing for a broom. The vulture fell right on an outcropping with gold.

He was traveling along the Hassayampa River, and noticed a large outcropping of white quartz. Knowing that this material often contains gold, he decided to investigate. The original outcropping was quite large, large enough for him to see it ten miles away from the river. He named the mine "Vulture" after the birds he saw circling a nearby peak.

This last version is the most likely, although the least colorful one.

Gold Fever | Henry Wickenburg | Highgrading | Ghosts | The Goldwaters | The Vulture's Discovery
The Glory Hole | The Hanging Tree | The Walnut Grove Dam Disaster |
The Vulture's "Profit Sharing Plan" | Gold Mines vs. Gold Placers | The Depression at the Vulture |
John and Marge Osborne | The Birth of Phoenix, AZ

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