Gage won the John Townley Award from the Mining History Association for his article "Order L-298: The Closing of America's Gold Mines in World War II." The award was presented in June 2019 in Marquette, MI.

 

Gage has written six books about the social, economic and cultural histories of mining settlements, including MacBoyle's Gold and The 1930s: No Depression Here. His subjects include New Almaden and the Northern Mines region of the Sierra, including Nevada, Sierra, Plumas and Placer counties.

​

Gage was raised in a family business, was a purchasing manager for Ingersol Rand and retired after 25 years with Lockheed Martin Corporation. He has received the Phelan Award and grants from the California Council for the Humanities, the Mining History Association and The Book Club of California. His work has been recognized by the Society of California Pioneers in Santa Clara County and the Holyer an Gof Awards in Cornwall, UK. He was made a Cornish bard in ceremonies at St. Just, Cornwall in 1998. 

​

Gage's work has appeared in Forest History, The Californians, Cornish World, and other magazines and newspapers. Gage often speaks to library associations, service clubs and churches. He has keynoted events in Mineral Point, Wisconsin and Pencoys,Cornwall.

​

Gage teaches a four-week course on Cornish History and Culture in the Osher Life Long Learning Institute at Sierra College in Grass Valley. For details  and registration see the on-line catalog at www.sierracollege.edu/olli.

​

Gage lives in Grass Valley with his wife, Ilka Weber. He is past president of the California Cornish Cousins and a licensed lay preacher at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Sunnyvale and Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Grass Valley.