Eureka! (Utah, That Is)

Main Street, Eureka, Utah

Eureka shows up on some lists of ghost towns, and driving down main street may convince you it deserves to be there, but there is still a nice-sized population here. You can also get a snack or tank of gas in town if needed, so I am not sure the label fits.  This view of the main street in Eureka shows some empty businesses, including one where there is no longer a roof.  

Vacant building space in Eureka

While there is a certain emptiness to this town, there are some businesses that have managed to hang on.  The old buildings have character, and there are nicely kept homes, churches, and schools.  Eureka was once a thriving mining town, but since the mines have closed, the town has shrunk considerably.  The residents we encountered were quite friendly, and really have an attachment to their home town.

Advertisements on a building

Although we visited during a time of day where the lighting was challenging, it was still a fun place to photograph.  

Eureka, Utah

Architectural detail of building in Eureka

Rear view of building.  Small attachment on the left is the old jail.

There are, of  course, remnants of mining visible around town.  This particular mine shaft was on the south end of town.

Mining remnants in Eureka

The real treasure we found in town, however, was the Tintic Mining Museum.  It was so fun, it definitely deserves its own post, so stay tuned!

Tintic Mining Museum

Eureka is also home to the annual Tintic Silver Festival.  This year it runs from September 17, 2011 through September 21st.

Elusive Ghost Towns: Mammoth and Silver City

Old mining building in Mammoth, Utah

Utah has its share of ghost towns, so visiting some of them seemed like a good summertime activity, and also an opportunity to take some interesting photographs.  However, finding ghost towns is a bit like finding ghosts themselves.  Unlike movie or tv versions of ghost towns, many local ones contain live residents (and I believe in respecting their privacy and property), or, instead of deserted main streets full of cool old buildings, there is often very little left at all. 

Mining companies in both Mammoth and Silver City have opened operations, and we found the parts of these towns where the interesting old buildings reside are blocked off by gates and large "No Trespassing" and "Danger" signs.  I was therefore limited in what I could see and experience in these two places, but here is a photographic taste of what IS available.

Abandoned house in Mammoth

Old building in Mammoth, Utah

Mammoth is not far from Eureka, Utah (about 3 miles south).  Part of the Tintic Mining District, Mammoth grew in the 1870s during a gold and silver mining boom.  Today, it is definitely a quiet place.  We drove a looping road and had distant views of the mining area, and were also able to see some old buildings. There are no services here.  

Climb the "Stairs to Nowhere" in Mammoth

These stairs and some foundations are all that is left of whatever building once stood here.  We also saw wooden stadium bleachers from an old baseball field.  We left Mammoth with a few photos, and headed for Silver City, where we hoped to have better luck.

Flowers in Mammoth

Silver City - Tailings Pile

We found even less in Silver City.  There were tailings piles everywhere, and some were fenced off.  It looks like some entity has tried to close off many areas out of safety concerns.  We did see some people camping and there were ATV trails around, but as you follow the road toward the old mining area, you will encounter a sign that the Dragon Mine is in operation.  This area is gated off and is posted "No Trespassing."  I did not go beyond that point.

Big hole outside Silver City

Person by the big hole, for scale.

It was fun to stop for a few minutes and look at the evidence of old mining ventures, like this large hole in the ground.  However, there isn't much else to do in this area.  I was grateful we had other things planned on this day trip!

  

Visiting Ophir

Firehouse in Ophir

What makes something a ghost town?  Old buildings?  Historic origins?  Some Utah "ghost towns" are still inhabited.  Ophir is a tiny town in a narrow, pretty canyon.  Back in the day, it was filled with miners and activity.

Welcome sign as you enter town.

I had read some internet reports that visitors were not welcome in Ophir, but the sign at the entrance of town proclaims otherwise.  We received a friendly wave from a local sitting on his front porch.  I suspect residents don't want you trespassing on their private property, so mind your manners and you'll be fine!

Mine shaft visible as you enter town.

As you drive up the canyon, you can see remnants of the mining that once took place here.  There are pieces of old equipment and old mine shafts on the mountainside.  We stopped at the Ophir historic site, driving up the steep gravel driveway and parking behind the schoolhouse.

Columbine at the Ophir Historic Site

There are several cabins here with walkways.  Whoever erected the outhouses definitely had a sense of humor!

Outhouse at the Ophir Historic Site

A sign indicates tours are given on Saturdays between 11am and 3pm.  As we visited on a Monday, we did not take the tour. 

Building at the Ophir Historic Site

Obviously some care and effort has gone into preserving Ophir's history, and if you are in the area, it is definitely worth at stop.  There is quite a bit to see in just a little space.  Even on days when the tour is unavailable, you can peek into the school windows and wander between the buildings at the historic site.

Restored Mining Wagon

After a long day on the road, we opted not to backtrack through Tooele County to get home, but turned east instead and traveled through Utah County, and then back to Salt Lake.

If you go:

There are NO SERVICES in Ophir.

Visiting the historic site is FREE.

Day Trip to Iosepa

Iosepa Cemetery Greets You

Would you leave your home and venture to a completely different climate and culture, then settle in a remote area to start over?  Hawaiians did just that in 1889.  LDS church members left their native Islands and came to the Utah desert, settling in a place called Iosepa (yo-seppa) in what is now Tooele County. The group remained in this colony until 1917, although the cemetery has been in use more recently.  While in Utah, these settlers grappled with Hansen's disease, planted orchards, farmed, and built homes.  I had never heard of this colony until a few years ago when my child did a report on it for school.  I was long overdue to visit this piece of Utah history, so I piled everyone in the car and off we went!

Today at Iosepa you will find a small cemetery that is tended regularly, a pavilion, a restroom, and a tiny playground.  The restroom is kept locked.  Once a year (Memorial Day) the Iosepa pavilion comes alive with a large gathering to commemorate these hardy souls.  But on the day we visited, Iosepa was quiet and empty.

View of the cemetery

One of the graves at Iosepa

I like cemeteries...I like the stillness.  I like epitaphs, and the different cultural manifestations on headstones and graves, and the different traditions like rocks placed on a headstone.  This little cemetery is memorable for its Hawaiian touches.  I took a few minutes to walk through and read headstones and take photos.  I did not go looking for the remnants of foundations that I understand remain nearby, but confined my visit to the cemetery itself.  If you take a few minutes, you can imagine a place filled with orchards and houses not so long ago.

IF YOU GO:

Iosepa is about 75 miles from Salt Lake City, and is easily accessible by car.  Travel west on I-80 from Salt Lake, and exit south onto U-196.  There are signs to help you locate the turnoff to the cemetery.  Once you leave U-196, there is a well-maintained gravel road leading up to the cemetery.  Take a minute to sign the guest book.  If you would like, leave a donation to help maintain the cemetery.

Read more about Iosepa