The War Eagle Mine was an isolated gold producer along Fitz Creek southwest of Dixie, Idaho. It was first located in 1898 as the Blue Bell Claim by William Boyce. The original vein outcrop was poorly mineralized, but in 1912 a boulder of high grade float was found on the hillside. This boulder lay over the concealed Boyce Ore Shoot which became the center of activity of the mine. Boyce sold the mine and the new owners leased the mine to the Central Idaho Mining & Milling Company.
In 1931 the leasers installed a 25 ton per day flotation mill. A hydroelectric power plant was built ¾ of a mile below the mine fed by a 1200’ long flume. Four cabins, a sawmill, a bunkhouse, and a cookhouse were also built. In 1935 a tramway and tailings dam were built at the mill. For the remoteness of the camp the miners did their best to keep it livable. A dessert cooler was built at the cookhouse in 1935.
During the winter of that year the snow got up to 17’ deep around the mine, an astounding depth for that part of Idaho at such a low elevation. To give some perspective, the snow depth at the Salmon River only 1500’ below the mine rarely exceeds a couple feet.
Ball mill, air compressor, and water turbine
