In 1875 rich deposits of silver-lead ore were discovered in the Argus Range on top of Lookout mountain. The discovery was named the Modoc, and was sold to a group of investors which included George Hearst, the famed mining engineer, U.S. Senator, and father of William Randolph Hearst.
The Modoc Consolidated Mining Company was formed with the Modoc mine as the principal mine. Together with the discovery of other nearby mines, which included the Minnietta Belle below Lookout Mountain , these mines formed the basis for the Modoc District with the townsite of Lookout located on top of Lookout Mountain.
By 1876 two 60 ton furnaces and a 10-stamp mill were running and production was quoted as running 160 silver-lead bars per day. The bars averaged 90 lbs. each and assayed around $400.00.
To supply the furnaces with charcoal, 10 charcoal kilns were built in Wildrose Canyon 25 miles away, and a steady stream of burros delivered charcoal in sacks to Lookout City via a pack trail on the east side of Lookout Mountain. The U.S. Bureau of Mines reported that total production during the period 1875 through 1890 amounted to $1,900,000 from the Modoc Mine alone.
The coords for the kilns:
36.2507
-117.0830