In 1859, a group of five Mormon families founded the town of Grafton in Utahs Dixie region, so named for the settlers attempts at cotton farming as directed by church leader Brigham Young. By 1885, the bustling town was home to more than 6,000 residents, and the local mining industry had produced more than $20 million in sliver ore as well as millions more in zinc, copper, lead and gold. 217 North 100 West St George, UT United States Get Directions GPS: 37.1119616, -113.58577579999996 County: Washington County, Utah Nearest Towns: Saint George, UT (0.5 mi.) While no one was killed, many workers left to find jobs elsewhere. There are many abandoned buildings scattered throughout Utah. There are three portals to the property all of which are listed as no trespassing. Most of the old dormitories were razed to make way for a townhouse development, and several businesses and churches have set up shop on the property as well. Mars is located less than 10 miles outside the small Utah town of Hanksville. Better known as Utah's first national park, Zion National Park is one of the top tourist attractions in St. George. Over the centuries, both ancient and modern graffiti have been added to the walls of the 17 Room Ruin, turning it into a standard example of abandoned places in Utah. During the early days, gold, silver, zinc, and lead deposits were found and helped sustain the miners and the town. Newcastle, UT (14.2 mi.) Descendants of the original settlers also make an annual pilgrimage to the abandoned village to visit the cemetery and the four buildings still standingthe old schoolhouse among them. Find more respirator options inour in-depth guide. The main street was two miles long, and churches, banks, restaurants, and numerous other accommodations for its residents. While White Mesa isnt officially a ghost town, its on the cusp of being completely abandoned. Seven Wives Inn - Real Saint George Haunt. One of the more popular abandoned places in Utah is the Cottonwood Paper Mill in located in Cottonwood Heights. (Submitted by Callum Swift) Read more 0 Mountain Meadows Massacre Site Thank you to Reddit user /u/LegendOfJeff for recommending the addition of this incredible ghost town to our list of the best abandoned places in Utah. The town's founders were largely native Pacific Islanders who had been converted to the Mormon faith by missionaries sent to Hawaii to proselytize. Sometimes left behind are abandoned homes and buildings. This fading ghost town is located north ofSt. George, close to Leeds. Unlike many of the former religious settlements scattered throughout the state, this ghost town wasnt founded by Mormons, but by an affluent New Jersey native who sought to establish a sacred community that would survive an imminent apocalypse. We parked by the hills and just walk down into the pit and let the kids hack away. For laws that specifically relate to Utah, please click here. . Learn how to uncover more abandoned places and the techniques used to capture their beauty. Silver City today is a collection of ruins and remains from the old Tintic Mining District from over 100 years ago. Iosepa Ghost Town 40.54197, -112.73317 Photo Credit: @Brent Clark - flickr.com Starting off our list of abandoned places in Utah is the old Iosepa ghost town. Unlike most abandoned places in Utah, the Delta Solar Ruins arent remains from an early settlement or part of a mining operation. Beryl Junction, UT (16.2 mi.) This caused the mill to cease operations in 1925. Starting off our list of abandoned places in Utah is the old Iosepa ghost town. This includes water-ravaged homes and railroad archway entrances to buildings long since destroyed. After the last patient was discharged from the hospital in June 1946, the building sat vacant for several years until city officials could decide on its future. Below are 12 different ghost towns you can explore across Illinois along with their status and exact GPS coordinates. These kilns were used at least since 1872 and are one of the most well-preserved mining artifacts in the entire state. The newly faithful then relocated to the U.S. mainland to be closer to the Salt Lake City Templethe most sacred site in Mormonism. Today, explorers can find abandoned homes, vacant mines, and artifacts from the past throughout the town. Every ghost town has a story to tell. The lodge also has some uninvited guests in the form of ghosts. Surrounded by tremendous sandstone cliffs that ascend the big Utah sky, the sights to be seen at Zion National Park are unprecedented. Unlike most abandoned places in Utah, Thompson Springs wasnt a gold or silver mine, but was used to support a coal mine just north in Sego Canyon. The building is nearly 10,000 square feet and is absolutely beautiful inside. Ogden believed that she and her small group of acolytes would be the only people to survive the apocalypse, after which they would begin the process of rebuilding Gods kingdom on Earth. By 1890 there were only four families living in Grafton. Grafton has received considerable attention as a ghost town, serving as a filming locations for several popular movies, among them Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Saint George, UT. Nearest city Hawthorne, NV Nearby ghost towns Ione, NVBroken Hills, NV 02 Kennicott Youre in the right place. Elsewhere in the former business district, an abandoned caf has managed to escape the destructive forces of vandals and trespassers; a peek in the window reveals a dining room that seems to have been frozen in time, patiently waiting for its proprietor to unlock the door and fire up the stove. Whether you live in Utah or out of state making a trip to these top abandoned places, they should be a part of any urban explorers must-see bucket list. As for spotting actual ghosts you'll have to see for yourself. The building that housed the Intermountain Indian School was originally built for use as the the Bushnell Army Hospital, where soldiers wounded in World War II received care from 1942 to 1946. Heres how our system works: Abandoned: Is abandoned with ruins and structures in a, Read More 10 Ghost Towns In Massachusetts [MAP]Continue, If youre searching for ghost towns in Texas weve got you covered! If you go, be sure to arrive with a full tank of gas as well as bottled water and any other supplies you might need, as the towns remains are located in an extremely isolated area with no services nearby. The barbed-wire fencing surrounding the property is also marked with signs warning trespassers of high levels of arsenic and other toxic materials in the dust, rock and water, although visitors can get a decentif distantview of the ruins from the railroad bed just outside the fence line. The Spring Canyon Coal Company expanded to operate mines in the neighboring towns of Standardville and Royal, but saw a significant drop in demand during the early 1950s. The town and its mines found second life during the first World War and the accompanying demand for arsenic. Drive about half a mile up the dirt road between two farmhouses (keep in mind you are on private property) and head toward the large pavilion visible from the road. Today the structure has survived arson, vandals, and scrappers. Take a look at the photographs of these abandoned places in Utah that were taken between 2007 and 2015 some of these abandoned spots might be knocked down or otherwise destroyed today. Welcome to the east side of Utah's Zion National Park. Many believe its placement is deliberate retribution for the lawsuit in the late 30s. portalId: "5317100", 15 replies. The towns population would slowly shrink over time as more people and businesses switched to automobiles versus the rail system. Like many abandoned places in Utah, Thompson Springs was forged from hard-working men and women. Thank you to Reddit user /u/everydaychucks for recommending the addition of this incredible ghost town to our list of the best abandoned places in Utah. From the native peoples who first settled the state to the religious sects who fled there to escape persecution, Utahns have made their mark on this rugged place, in many cases leaving behind fascinating structures and artifacts for todays visitors to discover. The sites easiest access pointa footbridge over the riverwas destroyed by a flood in 2007. . Below are my 20 favorite abandoned places in our most beautiful state. In the center of town was a clubhouse. At its peak, Frisco boasted 23 saloons and extracted more than $60,000,000worth of ore from the land. The mining company installed a 7,000-foot aerial tram in 1900, allowing for more secure passage of the ore straight from the mine to the Union Pacific and Rio Grande rail depots in downtown Park City. Terrace's fate was tied to the formation of the Transcontinental Railroad. Yes! The town site is a private ranch today, but you may still access the old cemetery, where there is an especially fine memorial and historical marker describing the settlement of the area. After about 11 miles, turn east on County Road 438 and drive for just over 12 miles until you reach the river valley below the bluff, and enjoy this example of the striking abandoned places in Utah. The well-preserved structures are now part of Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park, known for fossil discoveries of a prehistoric marine mammal. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'urbexunderground_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_8',607,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-urbexunderground_com-large-leaderboard-2-0');In 1902 fire would decimate many buildings in the town, causing a second wave of miners to look for work elsewhere. Just a few structures remained standing, including the old red schoolhouse, former railroad machine shop and a few partially-submerged dwellings. 6900 S Big Cottonwood Canyon Rd, Cottonwood Heights, UT 84121, USA. Love Utah? One of the soldiers discovered a strange black silvery substance while working on the road. Built by the Iosepa Historical Association, it is now the site of commemorative events every Memorial Day. GEORGE The hillside "D" that has looked down upon St. George for over 100 years recently was recognized with a listing on the National Parks Service's National Register of Historic Places. Thank you to Reddit user /u/SnasThicc for recommending the addition of this incredible ghost town to our list of the best abandoned places in Utah. The settlement was named IosepaHawaiian for Josephin honor of Joseph Smith, founder of the young Mormon religion (thank you Redditor /u/HumanForSure). In 2015, the federal government put a stop to the ill-fated endeavor, claiming the facility was established merely to take advantage of large government grants intended to boost the growth of alternative energy sources. But every one of these dusty towns pays homage to the memories of those who lived and died there. The Mars Desert Research Station was built among the rocky red stones of the surrounding desert. When white settlers arrived, they constructed Thompson Springs in 1890 for the ranchers and farmers who tamed the land. Established in the 1880s, the town was largely abandoned by the 1910s after the mine closed in response to strike action. While you cant go into the schoolhouse, its one of the most pristine abandoned buildings left in all of Utahs ghost towns and makes for a great photo opportunity. Recline on the sandy beaches and cultivate that famous St. George sunburn. Below are 21 different ghost towns you can explore across the great state of Texas along with their status and exact GPS coordinates. It served as the terminus for the Utah Southern Railroad line out of the neighboring town of Milford and was also the location for the regions primary post office. Urban exploration can be very gear-heavy, especially when exploring abandoned places in Utah. Novel diseases and crop failure made life difficult for the residents, however, and when the first Mormon temple was completed in Hawaii, many Iosepans opted to return to their homeland, leaving the town abandoned by 1920. After the outbreak of the Black Hawk War in 1866, Grafton was completely evacuated to nearby Rockville, Utah, due to fear of Indian attacks. Haunted Places in Saint George, Utah 0 Seven Wives Inn Saint George, Utah This 1870's inn was formerly a private residence where polygamists hid from the law, hence the name of the establishment. Pine Valley, UT (9.2 mi.) Not much remains of the old colony that existed here for nearly 50 years. Today, not much remains of Satans Land since floodwaters inundated the property years ago. Silver King was one of the several major mines that put Park City on the map in the late 19th century, producing tons of silver, lead and zinc as well as smaller amounts of gold and copper. Sand Hollow State Park has 20,000 acres of horseback riding, boating and off-roading. Not far from Grand Central Mine you can find the remains of the Ureka Mine just over the ridge to the north. The village in northwestern Utah near the Park Valley area was an outlier, both in location and for the fact it wasn't a Mormon settlement. Our trip takes you nearly 800 miles and requires just under 15 hours of drive time. East Zion. By 1943, the mine was the fourth-largest producer of coal in the state, peaking at a production of more than 2,000 tons per day during World War II. Today, a memorial stands there in memory of the lives lost on both sides. Abandoned Places In Illinois 1. Abandoned Places In Utah 1. Federal attorneys accused International Automated Systems of using a multilevel marketing scheme to promote the faulty technology, which ultimately never produced any energy, and after a lengthy court battle, the company was dissolved. Blacks Fork 19. The town was settled in 1859 as part of a cotton-growing operation. The original residents handprints are framed by brightly-hued patterns as well as carvings that date back to the late 19th century, when the ancient ruins were first discovered by members of the group conducting the Hayden Survey, an ambitious effort to map the entirety of the American West. Today, its a ghost town. Santa Clara . Silver Reef was established after John Kemple, a prospector from Nevada, discovered a vein of silver in a sandstone formation in 1866. Enterprise, UT (7.9 mi.) As diesel engines began to replace steam-powered trains, the towns fortunes declined along with its population. Website: Phone Number: 8056242584 The reason for their departure is unknown to this day. Thistle 7. Thompson Springs is on the precipice of becoming a full-blown ghost town, with tons of abandoned buildings, homes, and structures scattered across the area. The remains include the concrete foundations of enormous circular water tanks, drain boxes, leach tanks, iron boxes and crushers. Today explorers can venture through the nearby ruins, or take a look at what an authentic mine shaft would have looked like back in the early 1900s. In 1866 the Black Hawk War triggered fears that Grafton would be a target. First timers should start with Grafton and Silver Creek. There are ghost towns all across the state that are certainly worth exploring. A mining town, Silver Reef was the first sandstone location to hold silver and was named for the lode of it that was discovered there. Leave us a comment below and tell us if you know of a location that should have made our list. . Like many small towns in the American West, the town of Thistle prospered due to its proximity to the quickly-expanding railroad. The roofs of many homes and businesses simply floated away, coming to rest miles from their original owners once the floods receded. Upon arriving in Salt Lake City, the Polynesian immigrants faced discrimination from the majority-white population and soon left to create a new community 75 miles southwest of the city. Zion National Park. Look no further than our two top recommendations, theCanon EOS 90Dand theNikon D7500. The Virgin River Anasazi were the area's earliest residents, inhabiting the area from approximately 200 B.C. Built in 1931, the gorgeous art-deco structure was used to show off and sell livestock. The crumbling brick and wood buildings that make up the communes Outer Portal are visible from Utah Highway 211, as is the gate leading to the Inner Portal, which for decades was marked by a sign indicating Maries Place.. Where are there other abandoned places in Utah? In Cottonwood Heights, you will find the Cottonwood Paper Mill. I personally think this would make a great foreground for a Milky Way shot since its so incredibly dark here at night. Although many of the buildings were destroyed, there is still plenty to see for urban explorers adventurous enough to make the journey. Thompson Springs 12. Specifics on the locations are not given purposefully to ensure the abandoned places in Utah stay as vandalism and destruction free as possible. Unlike many ghost towns in Utah, Thistle wasn't a mining hub nor was it abandoned due to its veins of ore being tapped out. Abandoned places in Utah photo by Road Trip Ryan In 1889, a group of Mormons arrived in Utah's Skull Valley to establish the Iosepa settlement. They received direction in 1948 in the form of a proposal for a boarding school for American Indian students, with federal appropriations totaling $3.75 million for the necessary renovations and equipment to get the school up and running. This would all change in the 1980s when the White Mesa Mill was built in 1980 to processor uranium ore. Of all the places to locate the uranium processing plant, Energy Fuels Inc chose White Mesa. Save yourself with a headlamp, one of the most versatile pieces of urbex gear. Originally called Storrs, this mining town in Utahs Carbon County was established in 1912 by Spring Canyon Coal Company founder Jesse Knight, who purchased 1,600 acres for development of a mine and company town. Little Black Mountain Petroglyph Site. Its not uncommon to see old pioneer cabins, sheds, and outbuildings in rural Utah theyre even used to house animals or farming equipment. To get there today, drive west from Bluff for roughly four miles and head south on U.S. 191. The treasure is assumed to be hidden in caves on White Mountain near Kanab. Thurs - Sat 7pm - Midnight (open 7 d 39.93661, -112.11602Photo Credit: @dichaelmunn -imgur.com. When the mines shut down many people found work elsewhere, but a few residents decided to stay. The area was the scene of a battle between American settlers and the native tribes. Established in 1883, the community was made up primarily of farming and ranching families until the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad established a service center for steam locomotives nearby. For more about obtaining permission to explore abandoned places in Utah, check out our guide Explore Abandoned Buildings: How To Get Permission. Today, Silver King Mine is one of the best abandoned places to explore in the state with so much of it still intact. By 1915, the towns population had grown to more than 200. (435) 628-3737. A ranch hand and a few friends went searching for the soldier but were attacked on their way near the summit of the mountain. Frisco is another abandoned place in Utah that was used for mining and ore processing. However, the technique became obsolete within just a few years, and the mill was shuttered in 1925. Nine Mile Canyon 18. Below are 17 of my favorite abandoned places throughout the state. Luckily, we have developed a massive guide to trespassing laws in all 50 states. When a member died of cancer despite being promised a divine cure, Ogden insisted the deceased woman would come back to life, compelling her followers to preserve the body and continue feeding it for several months after her death. These places were all abandoned long ago and nature is starting to reclaim them. The first students arrived on campus in 1950, arriving by bus from a Navajo reservation in Arizona. Tiny windows provided the inhabitants with a birds-eye view of the river valley below, where conditions were favorable for growing crops. Evidence of this is found on numerous nearby petroglyphs. In the waning days of the precious metals boom in the western U.S., the Tintic Standard Reduction Mill opened outside the small town of Goshen. Today, this continued refinement has contaminated the air, poisoned the groundwater, and left residents stranded with very few options to rebuild their community. It is important when considering abandoned places in Utah to know the basics of Utah trespassing laws. Dragon 21. If youre looking to dive deeper into the world of urban exploration, this book is for you. Both gold and silver were extracted from Grand Central Mine, making this mine quite lucrative. The Silver Fork Lodge started its life as a tent city for miners. Its unique because it was established for less than a decade before settlers were forced out due to tensions with Native Americans. A minor leprosy outbreak in 1896 gave Iosepa the distinction of having one of the few leper colonies on American soil. Home Of Truth 16. Today, only the remains of the residential neighborhoods and the defunct railroad trestle stand as evidence that the town of Spring Canyon ever existed. The town of Frisco was short-lived. In 1929, Marie Ogden lost her husband and found peace through different forms of spiritualism. Thank you to Reddit user /u/robotbug for recommending the addition of this incredible ghost town to our list of the best abandoned places in Utah. Aerial terrain maps of the region show a hand-drawn re-creation of the former Terrace town site. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'urbexunderground_com-mobile-leaderboard-2','ezslot_19',186,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-urbexunderground_com-mobile-leaderboard-2-0'); 37.25297, -113.36773Photo Credit: stgeorgeutah.com. The homes and buildings left behind by those who fled the area slow decay and bake in the Utah sun. EAT. Based on their height and evidence of beam holes in the walls, some of the rooms were likely divided into two floors. This combination of booze and bullion made Frisco notorious for theft, drunken brawls, and murder. The nail in the coffin for Thistle came in 1983, when the largest landslide in U.S. history clogged two area creeks, sending floodwaters through the town that destroyed nearly every structure in their path.