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Old Tecopa (Site)
January 2013
The Old Tecopa Mill: Vestige of Mojave Mining History
The Old Tecopa Mill is situated in the dry area of Inyo County in California. The mill stands as a quiet testament to the region's mining boom. The property has been there since the 1940s and was one of the principal features of Noonday Camp or Mill City. It used to process lead ore from nearby mines like War Eagle, Noonday, and Columbia mines.
The Finley Company initiated the mill, but in 1947-1948, the Anaconda Copper Company assumed management and constructed a mill to concentrate lead ore. Noonday Camp was a bustling place at its peak, with miners and their families residing there, as well as significant structures for housing, storage, and processing. However, like most mining towns, when ore production slowed, people left. By 1972, Noonday Camp and the Old Tecopa Mill were empty and left to the desert.
Today, the mill's ruins tell the story of a lofty vision and a brutal desert mining reality. Broken foundations, stone walls, and rusting equipment litter the property, slowly weathering away with each passing day. Despite its crumbling nature, the site is visited by history enthusiasts and adventurers who want to see a piece of Mojave heritage.
But beware if you do go. The structures are crumbling, and the earth is unstable. Yet for those who do visit the site, the Old Tecopa Mill offers a unique glimpse into the challenges of early prospectors and economic forces that built California's desert communities. The abandoned mill is more than ruins-it is a testament to persistence, innovation, and the enduring legacy of mining in the American West.
Most ranches and mines are under private ownership. DO NOT TRESPASS! Obtain permission from the property owner before entering any private property for any activity.