Location:

The Clear Creek mining district or Havilah mining district is in east-central Kern County, about 26 miles east-northeast of Bakersfield and five miles south of Bodfish. It is an extensive region that includes the Red Mountain and Walker Basin areas.  The district is approximately 40 square miles which is bounded by Hobo Ridge on the west, Kern River on the north, Walker Basin on the south and Bald Eagle Peak on the east.

History:

Gold was discovered in Clear Creek in 1863 or 1864 by Claude de la Borde, George McKay, Benjamin Mitchell, and Hugh McKeadney. The town of Havilah was established in 1865 and soon became an important center with a population of at least 3000. Havilah was the seat of Kern County from 1867 until 1874. Mining in the area declined in the 1880s, but was intermittently active for many years afterward. Some work has been done in recent years at the Joe Walker and Rand mines.

Geology:

In addition to gold, it is also a tungsten district. The area is underlain by quartz diorite with roof pendants of metasedimentary rocks in the north and south portions of the district. A body of gabbro lies to the northeast. Gold deposits are mostly confined to the quartz diorite west of Havilah and in the Walker Basin. They consist of quartz veins up to six feet thick, which contain free gold and varying amounts of sulfides.

Mines:

Friday, Jackpot, Joe Walker $600,000+, Porter, Rand group $125,000, Rochfort, Southern
Cross, Washington.

Bibliography

• Clark, W. B., 1992,California Div. Mines Bull. 193 Sixth Edition, p 37.
• Dibblee, T. W., Jr., and Chestermon, C. W., 1953, Breckenridge
  Mountain quadrangle: California Div. Mines Bull. 168, 56 pp.
• Troxel, B. W., and Morton, P. K., 1962, Kern County, Cleor Creek
  district: California Div. Mines and Geology County Rept. 1, pp. 25-27.
• Tucker, W. B., and Sampson, R. J., 1933, Kern County, Joe Walker
  mine: California Div. Mines Rept. 29, pp. 310-311.