Book Description

Gold Dredge No. 8 is one of the most significant relics of mining history in Alaska. Currently located at her final resting place, just north of Fairbanks, dredge No. 8 was dubbed the "Queen of the Fleet" during her years of operation in the Goldstream Valley. Gold Dredge No. 8 is the only landmark of its kind that is open to the public. Every summer, she provides a wonderful experience to thousands of visitors who come to Fairbanks looking for adventure and the chance to experience firsthand the history for which Fairbanks's mining pioneers are renowned. Author Maria Reeves explores the history of Gold Dredge No. 8 as well as visionary men, lie Norman C. Stines and James M. Davidson, who made dredging in the Fairbanks district not only a reality, but also provided enough economic stability to bring the struggling town of Fairbanks back to life. Gold Dredge No. 8 was a placer mine that drew water from another local engineering landmark, the Davidson Ditch. In this book, you'll learn about the crew that operated Gold Dredge No. 8 as well as the hardships these dredge men faced on a daily basis. You'll be able to take a photographic tour of Gold Dredge No. 8 as she is now, and learn about efforts to preserve Pleistocene fossil remains that were unearthed during the stripping process. You'll learn why the gold standard initially helped mining and find out why Gold Dredge No. 8 was shut down in 1959.