Site of the worst gold-mining disaster in California history: 47 miners died underground on August 27, 1922, when fire trapped them 4,650 feet below the surface
10776 Argonaut Ln, Jackson, CA 95642
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
The headframe and exterior are viewable from public areas at no charge.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Flat accessible areas near the headframe; surrounding grounds are uneven mine-site terrain.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1850 · California Historical Landmark No. 786 · Worst gold-mining disaster in California history · 1922 industrial disaster — 47 fatalities
The Argonaut Mine in Jackson, Amador County, was discovered in the 1850s — records indicate the initial claim was filed by James Hager and William Tudor, both formerly enslaved people. The mine operated for nearly a century and reached a vertical depth of 5,570 feet via a 63-degree shaft before the War Production Board ordered its closure in 1942.
On August 27, 1922, a fire broke out underground at approximately 4,650 feet. The exact cause was never officially determined; investigators concluded the fire resulted from either arson or defective electrical wiring. Mine operators poured water down the shaft to fight the flames, but the effort took two and a half days to bring the fire under control. By then, 47 men were unaccounted for.
Rescuers drove tunnels through the neighboring Kennedy Mine to reach the trapped section. Three weeks of tunneling ended on September 17, when the rescue party broke through to find all 47 miners had perished. Evidence indicated they died within hours of the fire starting — from smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide — rather than during the lengthy rescue attempt. The victims were primarily Italian, Spanish, and Serbian immigrant workers.
The disaster prompted national coverage and led to renewed pressure for mine-safety regulations in California. The standing headframe was designated California Historical Landmark No. 786, shared with the Kennedy Mine. The site was later listed as an EPA Superfund location due to tailings contamination from arsenic, lead, and mercury; underground access is not available to the public. Annual memorial services have been held at the headframe.
Sources
The scale of the 1922 Argonaut fire — 47 men dead, identifiable by name and origin, within hours of a fire starting 4,650 feet underground — has drawn paranormal investigators to the site for decades. The combination of sudden mass death, the long rescue operation that ended with no survivors, and the surviving headframe structure have made it a focal point for those interested in industrial tragedy and reported haunting.
The Travel Channel's Ghost Adventures filmed an episode at the Argonaut and Kennedy mines in 2018, documenting reported activity at both sites. Investigators from the Paranormal Ghost Society conducted earlier research at the location and published accounts describing unexplained equipment responses near the headframe.
The site does not offer paranormal programming of its own. The Kennedy Gold Mine, approximately a mile away, hosts monthly investigation events and is the active dark-tourism operation associated with the 1922 disaster. The Argonaut headframe remains a drive-to historical landmark, viewable without charge from public areas, with interpretive signage about the 1922 fire.
Media Appearances
The original headframe — a California Historical Landmark — remains standing at the site of the 1922 disaster. Interpretive plaques document the fire that trapped 47 miners and the 22-day rescue operation conducted through connecting tunnels of the adjacent Kennedy Mine. Annual memorial services are held at the site.
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