Golden, Utah

Golden, Utah
Ghost town
Map
Coordinates: 41°49′25″N 113°26′32″W / 41.8237°N 113.4422°W / 41.8237; -113.4422
CountryUnited States
StateUtah
CountyBox Elder
Foundedc. 1900
Abandoned1907
Named forArea gold mines

Golden is a ghost town in Box Elder County, Utah, United States. It is located 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Park Valley, near the southern base of the Raft River Mountains.[1]

History

In 1899 and 1900, several gold ore-rich strikes were made in the Raft River Mountains, and the principal camp that grew around them was named Golden.[1][2] As the mining progressed, the ore changed from gold to silver, with quantities of up to 1,000 ounces (28 kg) per ton.[2] The population of Golden grew to an estimated 500 residents.[2]

Decline

An American financial crisis, the panic of 1907, damaged the mining industry severely.[2] Legal tender currency was replaced with nearly worthless scrip, so the miners left.[2] The general store moved its wares to Park Valley and Rosette, and the town was abandoned.[2]

Resurgence

In 1910, several mines reopened, and the town had a short resurgence, then a boom in 1920, when a silver-rich ore was struck in Vipont. A tramway was built from the Vipont Mine to a concentrating mill, and 300 well-paid workers were hired.[2] Ore was shipped from the area into the 1940s.[2]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Heikes, V.C. (1920), "The Ore Deposits of Utah", United States Geological Survey Professional Paper, 111: 497
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Thompson, George A. (November 1982). Some Dreams Die: Utah's Ghost Towns and Lost Treasures. Salt Lake City: Dream Garden Press. p. 159. ISBN 0-942688-01-5.


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