Projects & Donations

Your tax-deductible donations are both welcome and encouraged.A plaque located in the Visitors Center recognizes those donors who have made major contibutions.Donation checks should be made out to "EMPA" and mailed to EMPA at 10787 Empire St., Grass Valley, Ca. 95945.

Donations are combined with proceeds from the Gift Shop and other special events and remain within the park where they are used by the Empire Mine Park Association (EMPA) to support its primary function of providing funds for historical restoration and visitor enhancement projects. It should be noted that virtually 100% of the funds go directly to the projects. EMPA has no paid employees and a high percentage of the labor is donated by the volunteers of the Over-the-Hill Gang. Projects currently under consideration include:

• Restoration of the Headframe. The Headframe, a Grass Valley landmark and a significant reminder of California's golden history, represented the principle link between the underground mining operations and the surface operations. Its 94 foot height dominated the skyline. Safety concerns prompted Newmont Mining Corp. to blow up the old Headframe in 1969. All that remains of the original 94 foot structure is approximately 30 feet.
  
  
  
  
• Restoration of the Stamp Mill Building. This building housed the 80 stamps that crushed the gold ore into the texture of sand. Mercury was employed to capture the gold as it left the stamps. When Newmont Mines closed the mine in 1956 they auctioned off as much equipment and buildings as possible -- the Stamp Mill Building was one of the items sold.
  
  
• Establishment of an operational set of stamps. A set of 2 stamps have been donated to the Park. It is planned to restore these stamps, house them in a small building and make them operational. This is a visitor enhancement project.