The United States Geological Survey has a list of documented mines in Jasper County that you can pull up on your computer, tablet of smartphone.

To view the list, use this link: http://tin.er.usgs.gov/mrds/select.php?place=fUS29&div=fips&map=on

At that point, the easiest way is to double click on Jasper and then download the 1,873 records in the HTML format – for free. Click “Get Data” and the Jasper County mine list will open. 

This database will list:

• The mine name if known

• Type of mineral(s) mined 

• Latitude and longitude coordinates, which you can type into Google Maps to look up the mine location.

• A URL, which pasted into browser application will bring up more information about the mine and allow you to open up a map of the area.

For example, the Oakwood Mine, shown in the accompanying photo, is on the list. It is listed as an underground mine, which produced zinc and lead. 

The Oakwood Mine’s location was at, latitude 37.16507, longitude -94.47883. Google Maps indicates the location west of North Madison Street and south of the Center Creek 201 Wastewater Treatment Plant.

This link opens a map of the Webb City area. Clicking on the map, and the mines in that vicinity will be listed in the column on the left. https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/map-graded.html?x=-94.47883&y=37.16507&z=14#search-results

An article in the 1907 Webb City Daily Register reported that the 400-ton Oakwood Mill on the Winslow lease had recently begun operating. A 24-foot face of ore was exposed there at a depth of 190 feet.

In 1911, the mill was moved to a new mine on the Sampson land, east of Knight’s Station, 5 miles southeast of Carthage.

July 11, 1908, Webb City Register

TO ADVERTISE THE MINES

Artist son of Mayor McEntee draws pen sketch of Oakwood Mine – Unique picture frame

Ed McEntee and his sister Miss Mayme, son and daughter of Mayor McEntee of this city, who will visit shortly with relatives in Brooklyn New York, will carry a unique advertisement with them of Webb City as the heart of the lead and Zinc district in Southwest Missouri. 

The advertisement is in the shape of a beautiful pen sketch of the Oakwood Mill, north of this city which was drawn by their brother Tom McEntee, an artist of exceptional ability. The pen sketch is set in an oak frame, which is covered by rows of zinc and lead dust from the sludge department of the mill, and pasted in each of the four corners of the frame, are specimines of lead, jack, mundic and tiff, as it comes through the rolls of the mill. The picture is a true portrayal of an up-to-date mill in this district and it is indeed gratifying that the children of Webb City’s enterprising mayor are just as interested in advertising their home city, as is their father.