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Gold King Mansion of the Hualapai Mountains: "Quite a Place."

The once ornate Gold King Mansion lies all but forgotten in the Hualapai Mountains south of Kingman. The concrete structure, with its unusual poured concrete ceiling, fireplace and elegant molding, dates back to 1929, having outlasted less permanent mining structures. Now remote, the Mansion was once connected to a county highway by a "splendid road," frequented by Cadillac. The mining corp owner's secretary rode shotgun (literally) as they carried the miners' payroll from LA. Today, the Mansion is accessible by the rugged Moss Wash OHV Trail or by hiking 1.5 mi. in from Blake Ranch Road (an "easy dirt road", partially unpaved, a high-clearance vehicle is recommended; four-wheel drive not necessary in good weather, per Arizona Highways "Arizona Ghost Towns"). In its day, the Mansion boasted copper screens on the windows and a fishing pond.


When the mining corp struck a 3-foot-wide by 11-foot-long lead and gold vein in 1929, the Mansion was constructed as a bunkhouse in anticipation of needed labor and riches. When the mine was not as profitable as anticipated and additional housing was not constructed, the Mansion was expanded to better serve that purpose.

By 1933, following the Stock Market Crash of 1929, the Mansion was repurposed for wining, dining and housing prospective investors. A local rancher described it at that time as "quite a place."

The mining corp and Mansion owner, Paul M. "Paddy" Woods, was an honorably discharged (1920) Navy Veteran (Chief Petty Officer) of the first World War and native of Greece. Not much is known about him. His middle name was Machukos.

For more information, checkout Arizona Highways, "Arizona Ghost Towns," N. Austin, 2020, and "2005 Mining History Journal," "The Gold King Mine and Mansion; Relics of Mining History in Mohave County, Arizona," D. Kupel, 2005.

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