False starts are a common theme among many ghost towns. The highs and lows made mining such a risky business and Copper City was no stranger to the trials and tribulations.

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     Gold was discovered by placer miner Al Nichols in 1864. In the 1870s, four Gallatin City men found a boulder of copper quartz. In 1880, J.O. Hopping came on board and mining shafts were erected in the area but failed to produce anything significant. Next, a 13 foot shaft was dug that did produce several loads of high grade ore. This prompted several claim stakes in the area.

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     The ore was soon lost at Hopping’s Stella Mine. Upon further digging, the shaft was flooded and then abandoned. Work on the Green Eagle shaft would produce another glimmer of hope but that wouldn’t last.

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     In 1915, the Dunbar Mine was worked but again, nothing of significance to report. The teasers became too much and work on the claims stopped.

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