Chrome Bay was named for the Chromite ore that was mined here briefly at the turn of the century. Chromite is used in the chrome-plating process and in the manufacture of stainless steel. It was in high demand in the early 1900s and large deposits were discovered here and in the Red Mountain area near Seldovia.
In 1910, a mining claim of this area was made by William and Charles Anderson after the discovery of marketable concentrations of ore. A company by the name of Whitney and Lass mined over 1,000 tons of ore here from 1917 to 1918. At one time, this was a busy port with a long pier where ore cars would transfer their loads to waiting ships. These smaller vessels would then carry the minerals to Seldovia for loading aboard larger ships for the journey to markets in the lower 48.
The boom was short-lived though, and after the price of Chromite dropped significantly, mining here ceased. What remains of the operation is this exploratory shaft, some ore cars, the base of an aerial tramway, and the foundation of a miner’s cabin. Although we do not venture into the shaft for safety’s sake, it’s fun and interesting to hike the area and imagine what it must have been like to be an early pioneer.
We are still learning about the mining history of Chrome Bay, and if you have something to share, please help us with our research.
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