Oneida Mine, Jackson, Amador County

One and a half miles north of Jackson. One of the important early day mines, the Oneida was producing ore averaging as high as 40 dollars per ton in th 1860's. It was operated intermittently from that date until the late 1890's when much extensive development work was done and a new mill erected. Operations continued until 1914, since which date has been idle. Total production of the Oneida was in excess of $2,500,000.

The Owners of the Oneida Mine expected to hit the inclining vein about 1,750 feet straight down. They missed by about 150 feet, close enough but a bit more costly.

The Oneida — named by New Yorkers — is also famous for a role in the “Amador War” of 1871, the first confrontation between unionized miners and mine owners in Amador’s mining history. That battle brought state militia to Amador to protect the mines and keep them open. One company of soldiers camped in Sutter Creek, on Amador Mine mining ground. The other bivouacked on Oneida land at Camp Morgan, named after the owner of the mine. We have sketches of both camps. No soldiers were killed, nor did soldiers kill miners, but there were other casualties.

The Oneida Mine would not rank among the county’s top gold producers: Central Eureka, Keystone, Kennedy, Argonaut and Plymouth Consolidated. Yet, it is historic, because it was opened in 1851 and quickly became a dividend maker, while its adjoining mine, the Kennedy, didn’t open until at least 1855 and briefly produced dividends in the 1870s before shutting down until the 1880s.