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RUSH HISTORIC DISTRICT

       In the 1880s farmers on  Rush Creek discovered zinc ore, and soon the "rush" to Rush began.  Claims were staked out along the Rush Valley and that of neighboring Clabber Creek.  By the 1890s the mining boom was well established and miners and investors arrived from all over the country.  The most famous mine at Rush was the "Morning Star," which awed observers with its quarry-like production of ore.  Around the Morning Star Mine, a community of homes and businessess developed.  This community endured until the 1960s.
    The heyday of the mining district came during World War I.  All of the mines were in full operation, producing zinc for the war effort.  As the war wound down, so did the mining.  Soon the valley seemed a ghost town in comparison to the busy years of several thousand inhabitants.  A mining revival in the 1920s was short-lived, but free-oreing supported local miners until World War II.  During the 1940s several of the processing mills were dismantled for salvage.
     Until the closing of the post office in the 1950s, Rush maintained a community identity.  Gradually, the remaining inhabitants left, until Rush became known as a ghost town.  Today the Rush mining district is part of the Buffalo National River.  Rush is entered on the National Register of Historic Places as a significant site in history of mining in northern Arkansas.		  
     

Miners House "A"
Miners House "A"
36.13306°, 92.57115°
Miners House "A"

Sign in front of Miners House "B"
Miners House "B"
36.13218°, 92.57060°
Taylor-Medley Store "B"

Parking Area #1 and Trailhead
36.13152°, 92.56815°
"C" Smelter
36.13161°, 92.56932°
"D" Company Village

"D" Livery Barn
"E" Town Hub
"F" Blacksmith Shop
36.13223°, 92.56915°

Foundation next to Blacksmith Shop
"G" Company Store and Mining Office
36.13216°, 92.56901°
"G" One of the foundations

"H" Rush Mountain Trail Access
36.13218°, 92.56879°
"I" Morning Star Processing Mill
"J" Mine Tailings

Morning Star Trail leading back down to
Parking Area #1 and Trailhead
Mine Tailings at Mill
Mill foundation lost in the brush
     

Back at beginning of Rush Mountain Trail
"H" Sign and Trailhead for Primitive Trail
36.13252°, 92.56815°
Primitive Trail heading up the hill next to sign

Mine #1
Mine next to Mine #1
Gate at Mine #2

Mine #2		 Access to Mine #1 and #2
and Primitive Trail
36.13280°, 92.56704°
(Hard to see the access to Primitive Trail)
Gate at Mine #3

Mine #3
Mine #4
Sinkhole next to trail and gate at Mine #5-6

Gate at Mines #5, 5a and 6
Mine #5
Mine 5a

Mine #6
Gate at Mine #7
Mine #7

"M" Upper chainlink fence that surrounds
a large opening mining area.
"N" Mining Cart
36.13039°, 92.56324°
Mine #8

Mine #9
Gate at Mine #10
Mine #10

Gate at Mine #11
Mine #11
Mine #12 and #12a

"O" Trail Intersection
36.12748°, 92.55782°		 "P" Area of a large area of tailings.
A processing mill was brought in from
Missouri in the late 1950s. It was
short-lived.
"Q" Trail Intersection
36.12593°, 92.54940°

Trail leading down to Parking Area #2 and
Trailhead from "Q"
Trailhead sighting.....
Signs at Trailhead
36.12520°, 92.54938°

Parking Area #3 next to Trailhead
36.12518°, 92.54909°
Restroom
Picnic area.....
"R" Site of White Eagle Mill
(Only tailings remain)
Rush Landing Sign
Buffalo River at Rush Landing

Road leading to Rush Campground
36.12624°, 92.54914°
Rush Campground (Fee required)
"AA" Site of McIntosh Mine
(Some foundations remaining)
Several buildings once stood including a
hotel.
"BB" Site of Boiling Springs
Before the mining era, a gristmill operated
below here on Rush Creek.
"CC" Rock wall at Hick's Store
"CC" Interior of Hick's Store
36.12818°, 92.56382°
Parking Area #4
36.12853°, 92.54615°
Entrance to old road and gate)
"T" Old house foundations
36.12883°, 92.54629°
"U" Old Barn
36.12957°, 92.54704°
"V" Road Intersection
36.13175°, 92.54728°
There is an open gate on up this road
"W" Open Mine Area
36.13166°, 92.54834°
"W" Tank 36.13173°, 92.54798°
This area has been fenced, so I am guessing
it was once a priviate mining operation?

Mine #13
"X" Rush Mountain Trail Intersection w/Old Road
(Signs reads: Clabber Creek, Rush Landing)
36.13069°, 92.55044°
"Y" Mining Equipment
36.13014°, 92.55177°

"Y" Mining Equipment
"Y" Mining Equipment
"Y"

Gate at Mine #14
Monte Cristo Mine
Mine #15 (All behind gated area)
Monte Cristo Mine
"Z" Primitive Trail Access
36.13172°, 92.55352°