Old Iron Town, Utah
Encyclopedia
Old Iron Town, originally Iron City, is a ghost town
in Iron County
, in the U.S. state of Utah
. It is located in Dixie National Forest
, about 22 miles (35.4 km) from Cedar City
. The settlement was founded in 1868 as a second attempt to mine iron
from Iron Mountain
after a disappointing yield from Cedar City. The colony lasted until 1876, when strife from the Edmunds–Tucker Act and the Panic of 1873
forced its closure. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1971.
left Nauvoo
, Illinois
to establish Salt Lake City in 1847. Young quickly realized that the fastest way to an independent Mormon
state was to make the new colony self-sufficient. One important resource in this regard was iron
, which was very expensive to ship from the eastern United States. The city of Parowan
was founded in 1851 to provide iron for the settlers, which was mined in nearby Iron Mission (Cedar City
). Mismanagement plagued these new settlements, and only 400 short tons (357.1 LT) of iron were produced over a six-year period.
Iron was nonetheless needed for continued Mormon prosperity, so a second attempt at mining the region was made in 1868. The newly formed Union Iron Works organized an establishment at the southern base of Iron Mountain
on Pinto Creek, west of Cedar City. By the third year, over 2500 lbs of iron was mined every day. The company expanded in 1873 and continued to mine ore for three more years. At its peak, the settlement included a schoolhouse, blacksmith
, charcoal furnaces, and a foundry. The city was abandoned in 1876. An attempt was made to revive mining from Iron Mountain, but the church was struggling with litigation over the Edmunds–Tucker Act and the Panic of 1873
.
Today, the ruins feature a preserved beehive style charcoal oven and a furnace known as an "Arastra", which prepared sands for molds. Parts of the original foundry remain, including the chimney. The site was fenced off by the Sons of Utah Pioneers
. It is currently within grounds designated as the Dixie National Forest
. The Frontier Homestead State Park Museum
in Cedar City provides information about and artifacts from the site. The ruins are found on Iron Town Road, which intersects with Utah State Route 56
. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places
on May 14, 1971 as Old Iron Town.
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 Iron County
Iron County, Utah
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,779 people, 10,627 households, and 8,076 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 13,618 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile...
, in the U.S. state of Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. It is located in Dixie National Forest
Dixie National Forest
Dixie National Forest is a United States National Forest in Utah with headquarters in Cedar City. It occupies almost two million acres and stretches for about 170 miles across southern Utah. The largest national forest in Utah, it straddles the divide between the Great Basin and the Colorado River...
, about 22 miles (35.4 km) from Cedar City
Cedar City, Utah
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,527 people, 6,486 households, and 4,682 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,021.8 people per square mile . There were 7,109 housing units at an average density of 353.9 per square mile...
. The settlement was founded in 1868 as a second attempt to mine iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
from Iron Mountain
Iron Mountain (Utah)
Iron Mountain, in southwestern Utah, is the namesake of Iron County, Utah. Its summit is above sea level and is located at . It has a long history of iron mining, in the form of magnetite and hematite. Mining at this site goes back to Brigham Young and Mormon pioneers in the 1850s. The early...
after a disappointing yield from Cedar City. The colony lasted until 1876, when strife from the Edmunds–Tucker Act and the Panic of 1873
Panic of 1873
The Panic of 1873 triggered a severe international economic depression in both Europe and the United States that lasted until 1879, and even longer in some countries. The depression was known as the Great Depression until the 1930s, but is now known as the Long Depression...
forced its closure. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1971.
History
Brigham YoungBrigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
left Nauvoo
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
to establish Salt Lake City in 1847. Young quickly realized that the fastest way to an independent Mormon
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
state was to make the new colony self-sufficient. One important resource in this regard was iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
, which was very expensive to ship from the eastern United States. The city of Parowan
Parowan, Utah
Parowan is a city in and the county seat of Iron County, Utah, United States. The population was 2,790 at the 2010 census.Parowan became the first incorporated city in Iron County in 1851. A fort that had been constructed on the east side of Center Creek the previous year was an initial in the...
was founded in 1851 to provide iron for the settlers, which was mined in nearby Iron Mission (Cedar City
Cedar City, Utah
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,527 people, 6,486 households, and 4,682 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,021.8 people per square mile . There were 7,109 housing units at an average density of 353.9 per square mile...
). Mismanagement plagued these new settlements, and only 400 short tons (357.1 LT) of iron were produced over a six-year period.
Iron was nonetheless needed for continued Mormon prosperity, so a second attempt at mining the region was made in 1868. The newly formed Union Iron Works organized an establishment at the southern base of Iron Mountain
Iron Mountain (Utah)
Iron Mountain, in southwestern Utah, is the namesake of Iron County, Utah. Its summit is above sea level and is located at . It has a long history of iron mining, in the form of magnetite and hematite. Mining at this site goes back to Brigham Young and Mormon pioneers in the 1850s. The early...
on Pinto Creek, west of Cedar City. By the third year, over 2500 lbs of iron was mined every day. The company expanded in 1873 and continued to mine ore for three more years. At its peak, the settlement included a schoolhouse, blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
, charcoal furnaces, and a foundry. The city was abandoned in 1876. An attempt was made to revive mining from Iron Mountain, but the church was struggling with litigation over the Edmunds–Tucker Act and the Panic of 1873
Panic of 1873
The Panic of 1873 triggered a severe international economic depression in both Europe and the United States that lasted until 1879, and even longer in some countries. The depression was known as the Great Depression until the 1930s, but is now known as the Long Depression...
.
Today, the ruins feature a preserved beehive style charcoal oven and a furnace known as an "Arastra", which prepared sands for molds. Parts of the original foundry remain, including the chimney. The site was fenced off by the Sons of Utah Pioneers
Sons of Utah Pioneers
The Sons of Utah Pioneers is an organization dedicated to preserving the memory of and studying the history of the Mormon Pioneers of Utah. The organizations is open to "All good men of every age and circumstance who have an interest in the early Utah Pioneers. It is not necessary to have...
. It is currently within grounds designated as the Dixie National Forest
Dixie National Forest
Dixie National Forest is a United States National Forest in Utah with headquarters in Cedar City. It occupies almost two million acres and stretches for about 170 miles across southern Utah. The largest national forest in Utah, it straddles the divide between the Great Basin and the Colorado River...
. The Frontier Homestead State Park Museum
Frontier Homestead State Park Museum
Frontier Homestead State Park Museum is state park and museum of Utah, USA, located in Cedar City. The museum was opened to the public in 1980, originally named "Iron Mission State Park" for the pioneering attempts of Mormon settlers to create an iron industry...
in Cedar City provides information about and artifacts from the site. The ruins are found on Iron Town Road, which intersects with Utah State Route 56
Utah State Route 56
State Route 56 is a highway completely within Iron County in southwestern Utah going from the Utah/Nevada border to Cedar City.-Route description:...
. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on May 14, 1971 as Old Iron Town.