"By 1917, when gem production at the mines had all but stopped—many mines were played out, war was imminent, and the market was depressed—the only remaining 'old time' jewelry store was the Naylor Gem Company, still open for business at its final location at 1250 D Street."
—Peter Bancroft. Gem Mining in San Diego County, Failure for many, fabulous success for a lucky few. (1989).
The K. C. Naylor mine is located in the E2E2SE4 Sec. 24 T9S R2W SBM. The main workings are very low on the eastern slope of Hiriart Mountain, in the north part of the El Molino pegmatite dike, which strikes north, dips about 20 degrees west, and is the most eastern pegmatite exposure on the mountain. The dike is exposed along strike for nearly 2500 feet. The deposit was developed by two minor cuts. Early reports mention the workings as a source of tourmaline and quartz. Other minerals noted to occur are gem-spodumene and lepidolite. The Canyon prospect is within the surveyed claim boundaries, north of the main workings.
The deposit was located by Marion M. Sickler on January 1st of 1904 (MS 5391A), and named in honor of San Diego jeweler and lapidary Kinsey C. Naylor[1], proprietor of the Naylor Gem Company located in downtown San Diego.
Prior to the date of the K. C. Naylor location, the surrounding vacant public lands were temporarily withdrawn and removed from mineral entry under the United States land and mineral laws pursuant to Secretarial Order dated January 24, 1903. This order was a temporary withdrawal pending acquisition of all private inholdings, including valid existing rights, for the benefit of the Pala Tribe, under Indian tract allotment pursuant to the Act of January 12, 1891.
On August 27th, 1938, Marion M. Sickler deeded the mine to his son Fred for 1 dollar and 'love and affection'. Fred eventually sold the mine to George Ashley in 1947.
In the early 1990's the Secretary of the Interior, through the delegation to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), investigated the bona fides of the mining claim to determine any encumbrance of an allotment application (trust patent) filed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs on behalf of the Pala Tribe on June 19, 1980. The claim was adjudicated and in 1992 it was declared invalid from the beginning, or void ab initio. The land is now managed for the benefit of the Pala Band of Mission Indians by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).
Footnotes:
1. Kinsey C. Naylor (abt 1850-1919) was known to grubstake several gemstone prospectors, and financially backed several small-scale surface and underground gem mining operations in Pala, Aguanga Mountain (Smith Mtn.), Mesa Grande, etc. Several mules and burros called 'Old-Naylor' were used for packing people and supplies to various gem mines in San Diego County. An Old West tradition amongst prospectors, miners, packers, and cowboys was to name their favored (or cantankerous) horse, mule, or burro in honor of the person who financed the acquisition of the livestock.
References:
Bancroft, P. 1989. Gem Mining in San Diego County. Environment Southwest, San Diego Natural History Museum, Number 525, pages 14-20.
Jahns, R. H. and Wright, L. A. 1951. Gem and Lithium-bearing pegmatites of the Pala District, San Diego County, California. California Division of Mines special report 7A: 72 p.
Kunz, G. F. 1905. Gems, jeweler's materials, and ornamental stones of California. California State Mining Bureau bulletin 37: pages 86, 129-132.
Kunz, G. F. 1906. The Production of Precious Stones in 1905. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, Division of Mining and Mineral Resources. GPO, Washington: pages 26-27; 40 pp.
Rynerson, F. J. 1967. Exploring and mining for Gems and Gold in the West. Happy Camp, California: Naturegraph Publishers, Inc.: pages 8, 14-19, 42.
Todd, W. R. & Waiwood, R. M. 1996. Mineral Report: Validity Examination of the Katerina Lode; Bureau of Land Management, United States Department of the Interior, Oct. 30; 71 p., maps/plats, photos, legal/technical data.
Weber, F. H. 1963. Geology and mineral resources of San Diego County, California. California Division of Mines and Geology, County Report 3: pages 99, 105; illus., maps.
Wheeler, H. V. 1917. Field notes of the survey of the mining claims of Marion M. Sickler, known as the El Molino, Fargo, Hiriart, K. C. Naylor, and Vanderberg Lodes; and El Molino Mill Site; in Sec 24-25, T9S, R2W, SBM. USDI, Surveyor General's Office, Mineral Survey No. 5391A-B: 1 plat.
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Map Reference: 33°22'31"N , 117°1'58"W
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