Robbers Loot at Oro Grande

Supposedly in the 1930’s a bank robbery took place in Needles and was buried right next to the Mojave River north of the town of Oro Grande. It was said that there were two thieves involved, who were eventually caught. The bandits refused to say where the money had been hidden.

Chinaman’s treasure in Calico
One lucky Chinese miner is said to have made around $25,000 in gold one night. The Chinese man had a claim in Wall Street Canyon that was located right above the town. After having won this great amount of gold, he set back to his cabin. The next day the man that had lost the gold to the Chinese miner became infuriated and got drunk and announced that he was set on killing that Chinaman and proceeded to do so. After having killed the Chinese miner however, he looked for the gold, but was not able to find it anywhere. The Chinese who was agonizing had informed one of his friends that the gold was located close to the big rock in Calico.

The area of Dale
This area has actually had a few different areas that have had the same name, Dale. One such place was Virginia Dale which has changed to Old Dale, another one was called Dale the Second, and then there was New Dale or Dale the Third. The interesting thing though is that these three do not even exist anymore. This area used to be a mining district and there remain to be some interesting things to see In the Virginia Dale Mine, which is located where Dale the Second was, however the town in this area does not exist anymore. There are a few districts that had gold in them that were located in the high desert country. However, given that Dale was one of the most known of, it has been decided they will simply be called Dale as one unit. The first mining that occurred in this area was located close to the Twenty Nine Palms since this was where there was water. The first claims to have been done in the Dale district were in the 1870’s. The biggest mine in the area was called the Blue Jay Mine. The ore in this place at times went as high as $100 per ton. Placering was done at the beginning of the 1880’s and was done in the hills located north of Twenty Nine Palms. When placering started it caused many miners and prospectors to invade the area and caused the town of Virginia Dale to grow a great amount. Placer gold was also found cemented in the gravels in this area and in order to separate it from the gravels water necessary. The Virginia Dale Mine was then discovered in 1885; however it did not have one claim but six different smaller ones. Then the Supply Mine came to be and was close by and this is how Dale the Third came to be.