Empire Mine State Historic Park

Empire Mine State Historic Park is a preserved mining complex in Grass Valley, California, with original buildings, equipment yards, and access to portions of the underground tunnel system. The site covers several hundred acres and includes administrative buildings, shafts, a blacksmith shop, a machine workshop, and the former owners' residence.

The mine began operation in the mid-1800s during the California gold rush and ran continuously for over a century until closing in the mid-1950s. The owners brought experienced miners from Cornwall who dug deeper shafts and introduced more advanced extraction systems.

The site takes its name from the company that operated it using methods imported from Cornwall. The contrast between simple worker buildings and the owners' residence with its formal gardens shows how wealth flowed upward during the mining era.

Tours of the mining yard and buildings operate during warmer months, with pathways between stations mostly level and easy to walk. The park opens year-round for outdoor self-guided walks supported by interpretive signs.

A small room in the visitor center houses a hand-built model of the underground tunnels that took decades to complete. The model is based on survey data and shows how the shafts extend beneath the town itself.

Location: Grass Valley

Inception: 1975

Phone: +15302738522

Website: https://parks.ca.gov/?page_id=499

GPS coordinates: 39.20360,-121.04300

Latest update: December 20, 2025 16:00