There are several versions of the story, as is the case with most lost mine legends; perhaps the best known is the one with Tom Schofield, a railroad worker, decided to do some prospecting in his time off.
According to this version, while prospecting in the Clipper Mountains, northwest of Essex (in San Bernardino county), he found an old stone house.
While looking through the deserted camp, he found pieces of ore and an old rusted Dutch oven, the latter of which he tripped over in his search.
Schofield filled his pockets with as much gold as he could carry and went back to "civilization" where he celebrated his good fortune in the old-fashioned way.
Others have sought this mine unsuccessfully over the years, as Schofield gave enough details in the topography that it seems as if it would be easy to find it again.