On March 2, 2015 at 10 a.m., Gordon McCaw Elementary School’s McCaw School of Mines will reach its 90,000th visitor since its opening in 1996. The McCaw School of Mines hosts 4th grade students from around the valley to give them a hands-on Nevada history lesson where they can pan for gold, experiment with rocks and minerals, and tour the grounds where artifacts of the past are displayed.
The McCaw School of Mines is built on the campus of the Gordon McCaw Elementary School. It started out as a papier-mâché model of a mine tunnel built into the corner of a classroom. Soon after, school faculty collaborated to create a vision of something greater, and in 1996 their goal was realized when the McCaw School of Mines became a 4,500 square foot facility at the school in downtown Henderson, and is the only simulated mine of its kind in the state of Nevada.
Clyde Caldwell, Executive Director of the McCaw School of Mines, says, “We are looking forward to host our 90,000th visitor and guided tour, as it portrays the success of our educational endeavor in preserving the history of Nevada. We would like to thank our community supporters and sponsors for making this dream a reality, and helping to educate our youth on the importance of mining in Nevada.”
The McCaw School of Mines represents a million-plus dollar project built entirely from donations, with no cost to the Clark County School District. The Tronox Henderson plant, Barrick, Newmont, Olin, Cashman Equipment and Kinross Round Mountain have been proud contributors of funds and equipment for the mine since its development, and continue to assist in helping to raise awareness and increase visitors.
The McCaw School of Mines is located behind Gordon McCaw Elementary School at 57 Lynn Lane, Henderson, NV 89015. For more information, visit: www.mccawschoolofmines.org.
