08/21/2022
R is for Rusty Cans!
Mining in Death Valley often brings to mind iconic images of twenty mule team wagons, mine shafts, and 1880s prospectors with their trusty burros, but much of what we know about daily life in certain locations has been learned through the unglamorous historic garbage left behind.
For early prospectors, finding water in the desert was a monumental task. Due to little water availability (and sometimes questionable water quality), miners had to be resourceful to survive in dry and hot conditions. One staple item miners relied on was evaporated milk. Miners drank the evaporated milk straight but would also mix it with heavily mineralized or alkali water to make the water more palatable. The milk would help with stomach issues caused by poor diet and overconsumption of alcohol.
Rusted evaporated milk cans can be found throughout Death Valley. It’s hard to say just how many cans are in the park, but the number is easily in the thousands. Most of these cans date from 1880 to 1950. Remember to follow Leave no Trace principles while in the park by leaving historic objects (anything over 50 years old) where you find them.
What legacy do you want to leave behind? While we’ve learned much from historic trash, modern trash does not have the same value and is simply trash; please dispose of it in one of the bins provided around the park or take it with you!
📷: A pile of rusted cans with the top can labeled Miracle Evaporated Goat Milk. Text on the image reads: R is for Rusty Cans, . (NPS Photo)
