The Old Sam was a short lived gold mine in the Skeleton Creek district north of Fairfield, Idaho. It appears its operation was too brief to draw much attention, so there is little information available on the mine.
The earliest mention of the mine I could find was in 1909 when the Bear Creek Mining & Milling Company was organized. That same year a mill was erected. It had a reported capacity of 25 tons per day and was powered by a 65 hp electric motor. In 1910 however, the mill was only reported as having a capacity of 3 tons per day. From the remains at the site, this 3 ton per day capacity seems more realistic. The USGS reported the mine as being practically idle in 1911. By 1914 the mine was still closed but the buildings were being maintained. Sometime before 1914 the powerhouse was destroyed by a snowslide. This possibly was the cause of closure of the mine, but based on the geology of the area, a lack of ore was a more likely reason. The company was listed as being inactive in 1917.
