Scamahorn, Eugene D. The Coeur d’Alene Mining District as Seen Through the Aerial Camera of… Scamahorn Air Photo Co. Spokane, 1948. Oblong quarto, pp. 95, 48 photo plates, 1 map.
The work is complete and in the original limp pebbled black cloth comb-binding with gilt lettering stamped on front cover. Binding, text and all images are in fine, condition with images especially clean and bright. The book remains in fine condition.
Scamahorn (1916-2005) moved in the 1920s with his family from Illinois to Spokane, Washington. After finishing his education he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1943, graduated from the Army Air Corp Flying School in 1943, and became a captain by 1945. H served in the National Guard as a Major from 1947 through the Korean War, and operated a small photography studio in Spokane from 1947 through 1956.
Scamahorn’s aerial photographic survey documents the mines, mills, and mining towns in northern Idaho and was a promotional piece to help boost investment in the mines in this region following World War II. Leading up to and during World War II this mining region provided much of the needed ores for the U. S. and its allies The Coeur d’Alene mining district included at the time the richest silver mine in the world, the deepest lead mines, the nation’s largest underground hoist, and produced over 1 billion dollars worth of metals. Scamahorn’s well-labeled aerial photos include the Highland Surprise, the Sidney Mine, Nabob Mine, Lookout Mountain Mine, Smelterville, Bunker Hill Smelter, Kellogg, City of Kellogg, the Sunshine Mine, the Polaris Mines, the Polaris Mill, Vulcan Silver Led Corp., Silverton, the Hecla Mine, Wallace, the Golconda Mill and Mine, and more. Included in the images is the Sunshine Mine. On the morning of May 2, 1972, 92 miners died in an accident at the Sunshine Mine and this accident remains Idaho’s worse mining disaster.
