He came to the United States in 1850, and while in San Francisco he heard news about a gold rush in Washoe County.

After a fire on April 7, 1869, killed 45 miners due to suffocation, construction began on October 19, 1869, and the main tunnel was completed in 1878.

At one time, boasting a population of 600-800 people, a church, a weekly newspaper, and a post office that was in operation from March 1872 until October 1920.

The goal of the project is to not only preserve the site's historical integrity, but to also make it safe and accessible for visitors.

Phase One of the project is currently underway with the focus being on ongoing site cleanup and protecting remaining structures from further deterioration.