Frisco, Utah
Encyclopedia
Frisco is a ghost town
in Beaver County, Utah
, USA
. It was an active mining camp from 1879 to 1929.
. The Horn Silver Mine was discovered in 1875, and had produced $20,267,078 worth of ore by 1910. By 1885, over $60,000,000 worth of zinc, copper, lead, silver, and gold had been transported from Frisco from the many mines in the area.
With 23 saloons, Frisco was known as the wildest town in the Great Basin
. Murder was common, and drinking water had to be freighted in.
Frisco's fortunes changed suddenly on February 13, 1885, when the Horn Silver Mine caved in completely. It was an unconventional mine, an open pit 900 feet (274.3 m) deep braced with timbers, and could have collapsed at any time.
In 1905 a Latter Day Saint ward was organized, but in 1911, with the closing of many of the mines, so many church members had left that the ward was discontinued.
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
in Beaver County, Utah
Beaver County, Utah
As of the census of 2010, there were 6,629 people, 2,265 households, and 1,697 families residing in the county. The population density was 2.56 people per square mile . There were 2,908 housing units at an average density of 1.12 per square mile...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was an active mining camp from 1879 to 1929.
History
Frisco developed as the post office and commercial center for the San Francisco Mining District, and was the terminus of the Utah Southern Railroad extension from MilfordMilford, Utah
Milford is a city in Beaver County, Utah, United States. The population was 1,420 at the 2010 census.-History:Although there were ranches in the area in the 1870s, Milford did not come into being until the arrival of the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad in 1880.-Milford Flat...
. The Horn Silver Mine was discovered in 1875, and had produced $20,267,078 worth of ore by 1910. By 1885, over $60,000,000 worth of zinc, copper, lead, silver, and gold had been transported from Frisco from the many mines in the area.
With 23 saloons, Frisco was known as the wildest town in the Great Basin
Great Basin
The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America and is noted for its arid conditions and Basin and Range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin to the highest point of the contiguous United States, less than away at the...
. Murder was common, and drinking water had to be freighted in.
Frisco's fortunes changed suddenly on February 13, 1885, when the Horn Silver Mine caved in completely. It was an unconventional mine, an open pit 900 feet (274.3 m) deep braced with timbers, and could have collapsed at any time.
In 1905 a Latter Day Saint ward was organized, but in 1911, with the closing of many of the mines, so many church members had left that the ward was discontinued.
Geography
Frisco is located at 38°27′23"N 113°15′29"W. Its elevation is 6500 feet (1,981.2 m).Demographics
The peak population was nearly 6,000.| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 800 |
| 1900 | 500 |
| 1912 | 150 |
| 1918 | 300 |
| 1922–1923 | 100 |
| 1927–1928 | 100 |
See also
- List of ghost towns in Utah
- Silver mining in the United StatesSilver mining in the United StatesSilver mining in the United States began on a major scale with the discovery of the Comstock Lode in Nevada in 1858. The industry suffered greatly from the demonetization of silver in 1873 by the "Crime of 73," but silver mining continues today....