Silver discovered in the Providence Mountains in 1880 led to the development of the Bonanza King Mine and the townsite of Providence. By 1883 the town consisted of two general stores, three saloons, two hotels, and a post office. The miners in the town were expected to trade and drink at the store operated by the mine's superintendent's brother, else risk the loss of their job at the mine. A 10-stamp mill was hauled in from Mojave by Remi Nadeau's freight teams and by 1883 was producing $2000.00 worth of bullion a day. In it's first eighteen months of operation, the mill produced almost $1,000,000, a record for California silver output.
  In July 1885 the mill burned down and the miners and the mine owners left town.