Gold? Lake Chelan? Yes!

Halfway up Lake Chelan, not far from Holden Village, was Washington’s most successful gold mine.

Gold? Lake Chelan? Yes!

The year is 1896. Harry Holden (born James Henry Holden), a man who found wealth from mining in Nevada, discovered gold in the base of a remote Lake Chelan mountain. 

Due to the remote location of the new treasure trove, large-scale mining would not commence for another forty years.

Production years

In 1938, large-scale mining operations finally got underway, and the Holden Mine became Washington's largest producer of several precious metals: gold, silver & copper.

Not long after World War II, gold and other precious metal prices dropped, affecting the mine's bottom line. The Holden Mine stopped production in 1956. When the official closing took place in 1957, a confirmed amount of 514,000 ounces of gold was mined from the mountain.

Holden’s Post Mining Era

The owners, Howe Sound Company, had an asking price of $100,000. In 1960, after nearly 4 years of no interest, they agreed to hand over the property to the Lutheran Bible Institute (known today as Trinity Lutheran College). 

The new caretakers envisioned the Holden mining town to be a spiritual retreat campus in 1960. The decaying structures were brought back to life by the hard work of volunteers. The mining town evolved into the year-round retreat center we know today.

Considering a visit to Holden Village? Here's some online information: HoldenVillage.org

'Located in the North Cascade Mountains, Holden Village welcomes all people to form and renew their relationships with God, the earth, and each other.' -Holden Village.org