WHEN COAL WAS KING: Royal Reward Mercury Mine

The Royal Reward Mercury Mine operated between 1958 and 1962 in the Green River Gorge area near Palmer-Kanaskat, founded by Enumclaw graduates Larry Berkshire and Ronald Ljungdahl. The mine extracted cinnabar ore containing mercury during a period of high demand for the metal in defense and manufacturing industries. Though ambitious in scope with modern infrastructure, the operation faced management disputes and ultimately closed by December 1962, becoming part of Washington State’s short-lived mercury mining history.