Restoring The American Boy Ten-Stamp Mill
This mill was manufactured by the Fraser Chalmers Iron works of Chicago, Illinois. These two five-stamp batteries were originally part of the 60-stamp mill erected in 1887 at the Empire Mine, about 20 miles northwest of Helena, Montana. In 1928, 10 of the 60 stamps were moved to the Jay Gould mine about 17 miles northwest of the Empire Mine. Sometime in the 1950’s the mill was moved to the American Boy Mine about two miles to the northwest of the south side of Stemple Pass. Then in the early 1980’s the stamp mill was moved again by Joe Pauley to Rosemond, California with the intent to sell it to one of the Disneyland properties, but that sale was not completed. Dennis Casebier purchased it from Joe in 1996 and a major undertaking of moving the mill parts to Goffs was undertaken. Many other pieces of mining equipment from Joe Pauley are scattered around the grounds. Restoration of the mill began in October, 2010 under the direction of Charlie Connell, a stamp mill construction expert and historian from Arizona along with a number of his long time volunteers. It was completed in September of 2013 after an estimated 5,460 hours of labor. Over 40 volunteers worked on the restoration.
3 MARCH 2011 - The team has commenced work on the ten stamp mill. A tongue-in-cheek attempt by Hugh and Carol Brown, Jo Ann Casebier, and John Harrington couldn’t budge the heavy battery boxes. It took the assistance of Dale Moeller and a big front loader to lift and position the battery boxes at the construction site.
15-17 APRIL 2011 - One of the major goals of the Spring Encampment was to construct the form for the ten stamp mill foundation. The American Boy crew consisted of Charlie and Kathy Connell, Dale McBride, Gail Andress (on tractor), Rick Nisbet, John Harrington, Tom Foster, and Pat Payne.
11 SEPTEMBER 2011 - A crew consisting of Charlie and Kathy Connell, Rick Nisbet, and Hugh Brown made much progress over three days building the form for the base of the ten stamp mill. It is ready for concrete and will require two pours of about seven yards on each on two days.
29 OCTOBER 2011 - The second concrete pour early this morning completely filled the forms for the base. The experienced team of Charlie and Kathy Connell, Roger Camplin, Jerry Ohlund, Stuart Harrah, and Morris Jackson worked hard getting the “mud” tamped into shape, and all within just a few hours.
14-18 DECEMBER 2011 - Work on the American Boy Mill included finishing the bull wheel steel covers. Those are the dark shiny bands around each wheel. Each wheel is connected to a five-cam camshaft. They'll soon be moved down the Boulevard of Dreams to the new mill site.
7 JANUARY 2012 - MDHCA Board of Directors take a break from their meeting to inspect progress on the American Boy Ten Stamp Mill and the new concrete base. From left to right; Secretary Hugh Brown, Director John Terrill, and President Steve Mongrain.
9 MARCH 2012 - A crew of three from Rock’s Crane Service got the two battery boxes and the main frame of the mill set up on the foundation. It was a delicate operation because the battery boxes had to slip perfectly down on an array of threaded bolts sticking up out of the concrete.
10 MARCH 2012 - Today the big bull wheels and cam shafts were lifted into place on the newly erected frame. The crew consisted of Charlie and Kathy Connell, Morris Jackson, Roger Camplin, Jerry Ohlund, Stuart Harrah, Dave Rock, Mike Rock, Jimmy Howell, Ed Ditmer, Gail Andress, Nance Fite, and Mickey Thompson.
13-15 APRIL 2012 - Charlie & Kathy Connell had a crew consisting of Gail Andress, Dale McBride, Nance Fite, Pat Payne, Mickey Thompson, and Don Walter working on the American Boy Stamp Mill. They completed two layers of decking, installed the “feeders,” and built an ore bin. The feeders can be seen here from the back or east-facing side of the mill. The "fresh" ore bin is on the platform above the feeders.
The American Boy Mill showing off placement of the first set of five stamps upright on the left.