Jacob Zentgraf, a German immigrant discovers gold on the present Montauk site. The gold vein is coined the Zantgraf Vein.

Zentgraf continued to operate the gold mine until other parties purchased the land in the winter of 1895. Construction of 20 stamp mills commenced immediately, with milling operations beginning in February 1896.

In January 1898, the property was purchased by the Montauk Gold Mining Company. In October of 1898 under a new Superintendent, the formation of a town became the focus of effort which neglected development in the mine.

Fire destroys the mine crippling the ability of the mining company to process the ore. Workers are ordered to remove whatever gold can be recovered from the remains. The nation was plagued with panic over economic recession at this time.

Mining operations come to a halt as some prospecting nearby to the north occurs with no reported results.

Mr. W.B. Longan prospected the property sinking several shafts and adding drifts of considerable length with little gold recovery.

The mine has effectively been idle since 1938. Dysfunctional management, corruption, and deceptive reports of poor yields dissuaded continual operation. It is unknown what the true mineral yield is for this mine.