Harmony Borax Works

In 1881 Aaron Winter discovered large quantities of borax on the marsh at what is now known as Furness Creek. After purchasing the holding in 1882, a pioneering businessman, W T Coleman from San Francisco built the Harmony Borax Works.

Large stone structure with the Harmony Borax Works information plaque. Sign is built on the road

The turnoff is off of Highway 190 near Furnace Creek and signposted. From the parking area, we walked the paved trail reading the information plaques as we went.

tarmac path leading to the Harmony Borax Works. There is a Woden fence running along the side of the paved interpretive trail. Adobe building ruins and the chimney can be seen. Mountain range in the distance — Interpretive trail

Chinese workers gathered the cottonball (ore) from the salt flats and carried it to the refinery by wagon. Their daily pay was $1.30, which went towards food and lodging. Their homes were tents scattered around the flats.

Old black and white photograph of five Chinese workmen digging borax and loading it onto a wagon. There is a team of four horses in the background at Harmony Borax Works — Chinese workers loading the borax onto a wagon c1882

Other employees lived nearby in what is now known as Furnace Creek Ranch.

We were unable to find out much about the adobe ruins, but believe that one of them housed the Superintendent.

Adobe ruins of a building in the salt flats of the Harmony Borax Works. Mountain range in the background to the left — Superintendent’s building

Close up picture of one of the all ruins of the adobe house in Death Valley. Part of the wall has given way and is framing a mountain range

Every day three tons of borax was processed, but during the summer, the desert heat was so intense that the water couldn’t be cooled enough, Coleman moved the operation to Tecopa.

The metal chimney and ruins of an adobe building to the right on the interpretive trail

Remains of the Borax refinery with mountains on the horizon. Dried lake bed is visible — Borax refinery

Borax became known as “White Gold” and is still mined and used today in a variety of household products. Such as cleaning your carpets, cleaning your clothes, deterring pests, and preserving flowers to name a few.

Adobe ruins of the Harmony Borax Works and what appears to be an old canon in the foreground is actually part of an old wagon.

Twenty Mule Team Wagon

After the borax was processed, wagons, designed by J W S Perry, (Coleman’s Superintendent), were used to transport the cottonball. Teams of eighteen mules and two horses pulled loads of up to 36 tons, 165 miles to the railroad.

Two old borax wagons with large metal container at the Harmony Borax Works. Salt flats and mountain range in the horizon — These wagons were once filled with borax and taken by the twenty-mule-team for refining

It took ten days for the mules to haul these wheeled carts across the arid desert, and their image became legendary throughout America.

Close up view of the huge wooden borax wagons. the wheels of the wagons are up to seven feet high. There are wooden barrels attached to the side of the wagons — The Borax Wagons

These mule trains were up to 100-ft long.

A Short Video of the 20 Mule Team Wagon

The business continued until 1889 when the Harmony Borax Works went bust.

Harmony Borax Works with the chimney, adobe ruins and part of the twenty-mule-team wagon in the foreground — Harmony Borax Works

Exploring Further Afield of the Harmony Borax Works

After spending about 20 minutes walking around the borax ruins, we decided to explore a little further afield.

The adobe ruins of a house is just visible in the background. Beyond that is a mountain range. In the foreground the dry lake bed with borax crystals — View of the Superintendent’s home and the dry lake bed

Lady in large brim hat facing camera. Standing on the compressed salt trail of an ancient dry lake bed. There are mountains in the background — Walking out onto the salt flats

Following a small trail into the flats and around the hill, we found a lovely area with small pools of water and jagged salt formations.

Small ravine or flood wash with water in it. The white crystals of borax on the dry lake bed can be seen. there is a small amount of greenery near the water which leads out onto the lake bed. Mountain range in the horizon — Still some water!

Large pool of water in the dried lake bed. Thick deposits of salt and borax are visible. Mountain range in the background — Most of the water has evaporated. I’m not sure how deep this pool is

It was incredibly peaceful and beautiful. That is one of the many things with Death Valley that still amazes us. You never know what could be around the next corner.

Continuing around, we came across a wash, which means only one thing. “Desert Gold” (as Cali49 would say.) And it didn’t disappoint!

Man in cowboy hat with a camera around his neck standing on the trail at Harmony Borax Works. He is facing the camera. There is a slight slope to the left - the remains of mining the borax. A mountain range is visible in the distance

Along the wash, we found the usual remnants of the mining era. But we hit the jackpot once we clambered up the stony plateau. Hidden from the view of the road, we found the remains of an old car.

Remains of an old ford car. possibly 1930s - 1940s. No tires, just the body. A lady is standing at the side of the car on the drivers side looking at it. She is wearing a wide brim hat. The car appears to have been washed down by a flash flood — We struck gold!

Close up of the rusting ford from the side/rear. Just the shell of the car remains on stony ground

Carrying on, we found more pieces of the car and thousands of tin cans resting in the small valleys of the hillside.

The rusted bonnet of the ford car in the wash. — The bonnet/hood of the car was in another part of the wash

Man in cowboy hat is walking into a huge wash. There are piles of rusted tin cans and other objects

Side panel of the ford in yet another part of the wash — More of the car!

We would like to have explored a little further but noticed the small sign saying closed to the public as a safety hazard.

Thousands of rusted metal cans piled in a wash. A lady is walking towards the camera looking at the debris — So many tins!

As always, we take heed of signs, so didn’t venture any further and returned to Furnace Creek.

A safety hazard sign on a wooden post has been positioned at one of the ginormous entrances to the wash near Harmony Borax Works — On exiting the wash we came across this sign!

Our Takeaway Of Harmony Borax Works

We found the Harmony Borax Works fascinating. There are detailed information plaques with old photographs explaining the mining process.

If you do the interpretive trail, it would probably take about 20 minutes. If, like us, you venture out and explore it will obviously take much longer.

IN A NUTSHELL

Location: Furnace Creek, Highway 190
Signposted
Paved road to the parking lot
Continuing on the unmade road leads you into Mustard Canyon
Historic Landmark built in 1882
0.4-mile interpretive loop trail on Tarmac
Suitable for wheelchairs
As always leave no trace. Pack it in – pack it out. Preserve this site for others to enjoy