The Treadwell Mill was the first big stamp mill in Alaska. In 1883 the Mill, located in the valley to the left of the hill road leading to the “Glory Hole”, started crushing ore bearing rocks with 120 stamps. The number of stamps was increased to 240 and more men were employed here than in any other one Alaska place. On the hill leading up to the Glory Hole, look down in the valley to the left to see these cement structures that were once part of the famous first large Treadwell Mill. The Treadwell Mine provided more than 50% of the ore for the whole Treadwell complex until 1917 when mine operators found that ore prospected below the 2300 foot level was so lean that the 240 stamp mill had to be closed and later half of the 300 stamp mill. It was not long after the closure that all the Treadwell mines, except the Ready Bullion, were flooded and closed on April 21, 1917.
