utah ghost town utah united_states miles northeast mile west leeds established nevada discovered vein silver sandstone formation uncertain find silver usually found sandstone salt_lake_city sent site stake mining claims claims influx miners came work claims stake accommodate miners established town called property values high miners settled ridge north named settlement town renamed silver mines nearby closed businessmen arrived people living town mile long main street businesses office rice building adjacent settlements majority residents town meeting house day saints catholic church fire destroyed businesses residents rebuilt mines gradually closed worldwide price silver dropped buildings town demolished moved leeds mining operations resumed direction organized area mines mines purchased company minimal work result great depression purchased mines began mining area operations long sold mines today office rice building numerous foundations walls remain town site dozen homes constructed area geology geography sandstone formations gets formed stresses forced long aligned sections stand sides giving appearance ocean reefs long periods time silver ore sediments vegetation carried water runoff white east reefs ore settled deposits vegetation resources consist mainly silver deposits smaller deposits copper gold lead iron deposits soil rocks cause red coloration dinosaur tracks early period found area close western border miles northeast mile west leeds white reef lie directly west sage mountain brush pine coniferous trees pine interstate mile miles east respectively miles north ghost town reef south elevation feet feet climate located hottest parts state utah summer temperatures rise temperatures occur winter nighttime winter temperatures occasionally drop receives inches precipitation annually unusual inch snow winter july average temperature december average temperature highest recorded temperature july lowest recorded temperature january demographics settled people living local census taken gave population mines closed population dropped mines living organized miners moved work lived town wife 1950s departure completely abandoned subdivision land planned 1960s finalized census people lived today considered leeds history area inhabited native americans followed migration animals hunted typically deer mountain sheep farmers growing corn wheat pottery found abandoned villages usually constructed temporary dwellings sticks leaves bark roofs occasionally built permanent dwellings rocks usually mountain large accommodate families storage pits placed rock dwellings settlements typically small food scarce group lived red cliffs recreation area silver discovered area 1860s commonly accepted story named came area montana staying home settlement decided soon located vein silver yards southwest home find ore interest left nevada years later returned area mining claims organized union mining district abandoned returned group miners reorganized claims mining district began developing later discouraged claims sold according accepted story man known murphy nevada brought piece sandstone area miners performing tests sample murphy stated contained silver ton investigation murphy discovered samples come area record murphy claim allegedly attract attention miners miners refused believe news silver found sandstone brought actual sample area called interesting fake news silver discovery reached walker brothers known salt_lake_city hired previously mining claims stake claims behalf claims published article claims article mentioned area abundance rich silver mines set silver rush late established town called businessmen came area property values miners businessmen looking inexpensive land set tent city north called mines nearby closed november miners business owners worked came area known silver settlement changed construction labor opportunities workers available pine valley mills supplied lumber construct buildings year result silver ore mined taken salt_lake_city immediately following initial silver rush town site town built permanent business building established store intersection roads white east reefs town business district consisted hotel boarding houses stores restaurants bank dance halls newspaper called later silver reef dry goods stores catholic protestant located south business district businesses situated mile long main street mining district consisted mines stamp mills leeds mills surrounded settlements large populations town meeting house catholic church church located town railroad completed chinese workers hired build work returned china remained utah group workers set level area south chinese mayor businesses population reached town horse race track brewery brass band shooting matches members residents nearby towns took place horse race track residents good relations residents nearby settlements lot cotton agricultural items produced area transported wagon town buildings constructed labor workers reverend invited mass george catholic church constructed assist choir learned latin chants politics involved good relations forgotten members people members grew townspeople wanted change county seat silver reef alarmed members main figures territorial legislature legislature moved county line eastward maintained majority transferring farming communities good relations towns usual labor disputes mining camp wage laborers owners major dispute formed support wages gambling prostitution commonplace shootout involved town marshal johnny diamond guard tensions diamond temporarily shut hired colonel wall owner guard told diamond went serve closure warrant refused allow diamond forced diamond leave property immediately started court proceedings room saloon diamond argued wearing hat inside continued argument outside diamond asked gun shot diamond diamond returned fire men died men held saloon found bodies contained bullet wounds caliber powder burns caused proximity shootout caliber bullet wounds indicating somebody shot shootout shootout occurred december known exactly happened believed dealer saloon clark regular patron previously argued gambling matters shooting began argued clark bet arguing minutes pulled pistol clark shot witnesses said clark pulled pistol shot witnesses said clark shot patrons saloon including clark father beat shot instance murder occurred october stabbed california fired day account violent nature murder occurred near boarding house initially pistol away drew knife instead got feet died soon stab wound inflicted residents angered murder soon lynch threats delivered arrested soon murder committed transferred jail safety prior moving lynch mob gathered followed sheriff escort jail sheriff took cell tried hang telegraph pole pole broke took tree hung residents shocked sight hanging man reputed said observed tree growing years time seen bearing fruit decline fire discovered restaurant hundreds residents threw water nearby leeds creek fire wet blankets adjacent business buildings fire spread town prominent buildings fire destroyed businesses main street finally extinguished reported state panic felt fire extinguished residents rebuilt businesses destroyed town soon began decline decrease wages day day mines savage property response decrease wages formed february union members began talking striking mines word potential strike spread discharged miners response discharged union members escorted company superintendent allen immediately went beaver filed lawsuit union members went court union members held meeting decided shut savage led president walked rows arriving savage men went works ordered engineer duty shut pumps kept water water table pumps shut group went savage ordered days later sheriff accompanied men arrested members including jail small hold prisoners jailed rice building rice building hold prisoners line drawn building crossed line threatened shooting members transferred beaver tried riot conspiracy false imprisonment thirteen members sentenced imprisonment sent sentenced days prison charged fine years strike world silver market dropped causing mines compensate drop prices mines reduced wages miners instead striking miners accepted addition miners inadvertently dug water table shafts began filling water faster pumped mines idle closed officially closed mines continued operate past year merchants went bankrupt left town mines produced million worth silver ore worth mined people attempted restart mining operations attempts successful mines closed buildings purchased lumber building stone buyer dismantled building bought discovered gold coins news find spread quickly buildings demolished hopes discovering gold found organized owned area mines purchased mines sank compartment shaft white reef new connected flooded savage water pumped minimal work ore operation profitable great depression ownership mines passed western gold corporation purchased claims mined sandstone deposits shipment came ann pride total pounds shipped region claims bought company operate long tourism popular culture following closure district mines office residence alex 1950s placed national_register_of_historic_places march currently serves art gallery museum rice building burned rebuilt reconstructed appear 19th century served european cuisine closed remnants houses buildings markers indicating buildings stood area preserved history office powder house contains models town town major mills catholic church catholic protestant restored visited original buildings remain including story mining buildings mile long yards long surrounded private homes exploring ghost town visitors explore red rock country surrounding camping fishing mountain hunting activities available visitors located south picnic designated area trees half mile hiking trail leads remains mile red reef trail leads dinosaur date early period found area nearby allows visitors study pioneer history appeared american films late 1960s area scouted corporate executives fox use film kid served backdrop film featured documentary treasure house utah mining story
Silver Reef, Utah