On Saturday, December 28, Cave Creek Museum will showcase its exciting Arizona Gold Mining Experience. The multi-pronged, interactive experience features the experience’s historical significance, a mine shaft that “explodes” with sights and sounds, a tramway that transports ore, the incredible, historic 10-stamp mill, gold panning and more.
This unique experience is brought to life by the museum’s skilled volunteers. One of those individuals, Paul Diefenderfer, has fulfilled the role of volunteer for more than 16 years.
Diefenderfer, owner of Desert Rat Forge, which creates custom made-to-order iron masterpieces as well as fences, railings, signs, gates, tables and more, became interested in the museum after seeing an APS truck haul 1800s mining equipment from the Golden Reef Mine location on Continental Mountain to the museum. Intrigued, he asked the museum director about the equipment and what was planned for it.
The museum’s executive director introduced Diefenderfer to members of the Dream Team, a group of passionate and skilled professionals who challenged themselves to bring the stamp mill, which crushed ore to separate out the gold, back to life. He began by forging several parts for the equipment, and then found himself deeply involved in the resurrection of the historic stamp mill and its tramway.
Diefenderfer’s expertise on the stamp mill effort (it took five years to get the stamp mill up and running), included ironwork, concrete, electrical and the building of many parts to make the system run like it did more than 100 years ago. His volunteer work focused on creating the mill’s foundation, pouring 15 yards of concrete for its base, placing large steel plates to hold the stamp mill’s uprights, constructing a crab winch, installing the 10 gigantic stamps and building a deck so the dream team could work and give demonstrations about the mill’s importance in the early mining industry.
“Once the stamp mill was operational, I helped build a fence around it and assisted in constructing the tramway,” says Diefenderfer. “I forged many missing pieces for the ore-carrying system.”
So, why volunteer at the museum since 2008?
“I volunteer because I love the challenges museum work offers and the opportunity to work with other volunteers to figure out complex situations and resolve them,” says Diefenderfer.
The well-known ironworking expert added a working blacksmith shop (where he gives demonstrations on a regular basis) and donated an anvil to the museum’s wildly popular Arizona Gold Mining Experience. He also has helped create other elements of the experience including the arrastra and a mineshaft, among others.
Diefenderfer often also assists with other museum needs like drywall work in the history wing, building a rug loom for the enjoyment of visitors and even repairing a historic school desk.
The long time volunteer keeps on giving and sharing his vast experience and knowledge with those who grace the museum grounds. Just as important, Diefenderfer is loved and respected by the many volunteers who serve with him and knows volunteerism is what makes good things, great.
Make a reservation for the experience, including the tour of a real gold mine, by visiting cavecreekmuseum.org or call 480.488.2764 and see their volunteers at work.
(Volunteer Paul Diefenderfer holds onto two stabilizing bars on the Golden Reef Stamp Mill tramway at Cave Creek Museum. The bars keep the tram towers from twisting under the weight of heavy loads of ore. Several bars were missing when the original parts were brought down from Continental Mountain, so he forged some new bars in the same style as the originals.)
