![]() In fact, the first gold strikes in Eastern Oregon actually occurred at the town of Auburn. The Sumpter Dredge is such a prominent figure of the Upper Powder River Valley that people often forget that mining took place for 50 years before the dredging even started! Over a span of about 4 decades, the amount of gold pulled out of the dredge fields is estimated at around $250 million dollars (priced at current gold value of $1950 ozt.). Dredging even extended up the Cracker Creek for a few miles. What they left behind were dredge fields of large gravel and cobble that extend for nearly 8 miles, from Phillips Reservoir up to Sumpter. This wasn’t the only dredge to churn up the Powder River Valley… in fact there were as many as three dredges crisscrossing this valley back in the early to mid-20th century. The dredge sits on the edge of miles and miles of old tailing piles. The Sumpter Valley Gold Dredge is in excellent condition and is now an Oregon State Heritage site. This is where you can find one of the best preserved gold dredges in the United States. Sumpter is located at the confluence of Cracker Creek and McCully Fork. Its headwaters start in the heart of Gold Country, accumulating water from numerous creeks that drain the Blue Mountains and the Elkhorn Range. ![]() Perhaps the most well-known of these is the Powder River. ![]() Eastern Oregon has several major river systems where gold mining has occurred since the early 1860s. ![]()
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