One of the few Buildings Left in Lewis
Furniture Remains Inside
The discovery of silver deposits at the top of Lewis Canyon in 1874 led to the founding
of the town of Lewis. A ten stamp mill with a furnace was constructed at the bottom of the canyon to handle ores from the area. By early 1881, Lewis had saloons, many stores, hotels, a dance hall, boarding house, lumberyard, jail, post office, weekly newspaper, school, and a population
of 700. A fire in December of 1881 destroyed most of the business district. Labor troubles and a boiler explosion at the nearby Betty O' Neal mine marked the decline of Lewis. By 1883, most of the businesses had closed. The Betty O' Neal mine ceased operation in 1885. It was reopened in 1922 after the construction of a modern mill. Operations continued until 1932.
Old Mining Equipment used at Lewis
Giles Checks out the Betty O' Neal Mill
