This arrastra lies on the south side of the road, about a mile beyond the townsite. An arrastra is a stone basin where a large stone (“muller”) was fastened to a horizontal arm and wheel. A man or mule walked around the basin, dragging the stone weight which would grind the ore rock. Water from the Buckskin Creek ran into the basin and washed the pulverized rock and gravel, leaving the heavier gold in the bottom of the basin. Miners then excitedly scooped out the gold. Photo by Lin Smith. Photo date 2009.
To the right is a closeup of the center of the arrastra.
