![]() Taking full advantage of the situation, Maxwell welcomed the squatters by charging them for the use of his land, fees for placer and quartz claims, and toll charges for the use of the good road that he constructed. The already wealthy land baron and entrepreneur watched the storm of gold seekers with great interest and realized that he couldn’t fight the inevitable. Maxwell, a long-time resident of the area and sole owner of the Maxwell Land Grant, owned the Moreno Valley as well as Baldy Peak. Word got out and when the snow melted in the spring of 1867, they were just the first of many men flooding the area to find their fortunes. Vowing to keep their findings secret, the three carved the words “DISCOVERY TREE” on a Ponderosa Fir next to their camp, descended the mountain, and began the long trek back to Fort Union.īut, the secret was just too big and during the long idle months of winter, their pledge was broken. But it was already October and winter comes early to the high slopes of Baldy Mountain. They wasted no time, immediately exploring the area, spending the next several days panning the creek and chipping at the rock. All thought of copper vanished from their minds as the three stared at the sparkling gold flakes lying in the base of the pan. ![]() When his loud, excited shout pierced the quiet evening, his companions came running to his side. Passing the time, one of the men took a gold pan from his saddlebag and began sifting the creek gravel. While continuing to explore the area, three of the men made camp on the banks of Willow Creek. ![]()
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