Discovered in 1863 by Henry Wickenburg, the Vulture Gold Mine was the first big gold mine in Arizona. The mine and its colorful cast of characters, along with the town of Wickenburg, were instrumental in stimulating considerable growth and development in Central Arizona. This presentation will share the multi-layered story of the gold mine, thus illustrating its unique role in early Arizona history.
A graduate of the Idaho School of Mines, Gary Carter enjoyed a 36-year career in education, with curatorial experience of mineral collections, development of geology exhibitions and extensive study of mining history. He is an avid mineral collector and in 2012 he completed a substantial research report on the history of the Vulture Gold Mine. For the past couple of years, he has been sharing his knowledge and experience with audiences at colleges, libraries, museums and historical societies.