Founded by William Singleton and Thomas D. Fuller, the settlement briefly served as the Okanogan County seat and featured a bustling local economy that even issued distinctive pink checks to combat cash shortages. Despite its peak activity and deep mining tunnels, moving ore required an arduous journey using wagons, riverboats, and railways to reach distant smelters. Unable to secure necessary road and rail infrastructure, the community rapidly collapsed and is now maintained as the Old Ruby State Park Heritage Site.
Key points
The First Thought mine was the area's top producer, generating over $2.5 million in 2025…: The First Thought mine was the area's top producer, generating over $2.5 million in 2025 silver value across 4,000 feet of tunnels.
Geographic isolation, transport expenses, and falling silver prices caused the mining ind…: Geographic isolation, transport expenses, and falling silver prices caused the mining industry to collapse within a decade of its founding.
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission now protects the former county seat as t…: Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission now protects the former county seat as the Old Ruby State Park Heritage Site.
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Once a thriving silver-mining settlement with more than 1,000 residents, Ruby City was at the centre of Washington’s mining boom in the late 19th century. Prospectors, investors and businesses flocked to the town as silver discoveries fuelled hopes of prosperity. However, declining silver prices, limited mineral deposits and high transport costs eventually brought its mining industry to a halt. Today, the former settlement is known as Old Ruby State Park Heritage Site, where forested hills and tall ponderosa pines surround a townsite with no standing buildings remaining. According to the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, the site preserves the history of a once-busy community whose fortunes rose and fell with the silver rush.
How Washington’s Ruby City grew during the silver rush in 1886 and 1887
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