The Kennedy Mine stands on a hillside at the northern edge of Jackson, a remarkable survival from the Mother Lode gold rush. The mine operated from 1860 until 1942, producing some 34 million dollars of gold at the prices of the day — the deepest gold mine ever worked in North America, with shafts reaching nearly 6,000 feet below the surface.
Above ground the most striking features are the four enormous wooden tailing wheels, each 58 feet in diameter, built to lift waste slurry uphill over the surrounding ridges into a holding pond — only one wheel survives. The headframe, ore bin, and stamp mill still stand. Surface tours run from spring through autumn on weekends and take about an hour; the office is at 12594 Kennedy Mine Road, off Highway 49.