The European history of Mammoth Lakes started in 1877, when four prospectors
staked a claim on Mineral Hill, south of the current town, along Old Mammoth
Road. In 1878, the Mammoth Mining Company was organized to mine Mineral Hill,
which caused a gold rush. By the end of 1878, 1500 people settled in the mining
camp called Mammoth City. By 1880, the company had shut down, and by 1888, the
population declined to less than 10 people. By the early 1900s, the town of
Mammoth was informally established near Mammoth Creek. The economics of the
original town was based on logging and tourism. The first post office at
Mammoth
