The Tennessee Historical Commission announced Thursday that restoration work is underway on the Burra Burra Mine State Historic Site in Ducktown.
Burra Burra, named for the famous mine in Australia, is the only historic copper mine site open for visitation in the southern U.S. Purchased by the state of Tennessee in 1988, no major restoration work has been done to the site until now. When the mine was closed, the head frame was demolished but almost all of the original buildings and structures remain.
The Clinic, Hoist House, Plate Shop and the Powder House are slated to be restored, beginning with restoration on the Clinic.
Constructed in 1910, the Clinic served as the doctor’s office for the mine workers. The restoration process will include removal of all non-historic material, stabilization of the structure and repairing and replacing, when necessary, the building components. Several hidden items have been found, including modest air flow vents, original plaster, two wood tongue and groove walls and a higher ceiling bathroom.
At 5,700 square feet, the largest structure slated for restoration is the 1901 Hoist House. The structure once housed the hoisting engines powered by the steam that raised and lowered workers and equipment into the shaft and hoisted ore to the surface. The 1905 Powder House held powder and blasting caps. The 1940 Plate Shop was used during the fabrication of structural steel, wear plates and other steel needed for the mines.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Burra Burra Mine Historic District, the site is open for tours year round, depending on the season. For more information, contact 423-496-5778 or visit www.ducktownbasinmuseum.com.