Sulphurdale, Utah
Encyclopedia
Sulphurdale is a ghost town
in Beaver County
, Utah
, United States
. Sulphurdale was established in 1870, but mining did not begin in large scale until 1883. Homes, a school, a store and company offices were built in town. Despite the heavy mining activity, high quality sulfur was difficult to find. Production slowed in the 1940s and 1950s, and in 1966, the mine and mill shut down. By the end of the 1970s, Sulphurdale was abandoned.
ore just south of Cove Fort in 1870. Minimal work was done until 1883, when a thermal plant
was built to process the extracted sulfur. Steady production began in 1890. 1,000 tons of sulfur were produced annually for fifteen years. The mining company that operated the mines at Sulphurdale built 30 homes for the workers, a school
house, a company store
, and company offices. For a time, the town was unofficially known as Morrissey, after the operator of the mines. Twice every week, freighters hauled 20 tons of sulfur to the Union Pacific loading docks at Black Rock. Only the high grade ore was considered useful; the rest of the ore went unused.
Although the Sulphurdale mines were fully operational, very little sulfur was mined. A sulfur mill that was built in 1951 did not produce much high quality sulfur. Production began to slow down in the 1940s and 1950s. In 1961 the Sulphurdale Chemical Company built a mill and began commercial production in 1965; however, the company owner died in 1966 and the mill shut down. After seventy years of activity, the mines at Sulphurdale were closed. In 1985, a geothermal power system was installed near Sulphurdale, and the power system is currently in operation, producing electricity for Provo
. The hydrothermal system it exploits is one of the largest in the western United States, with temperature anomalies of up to 200 °C (392 °F) per kilometer. The schoolhouse and a couple of homes remain in the town proper.
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
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...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Sulphurdale was established in 1870, but mining did not begin in large scale until 1883. Homes, a school, a store and company offices were built in town. Despite the heavy mining activity, high quality sulfur was difficult to find. Production slowed in the 1940s and 1950s, and in 1966, the mine and mill shut down. By the end of the 1970s, Sulphurdale was abandoned.
History
The site that was to become Sulphurdale was surveyed by Charles Dickart, who discovered a large body of sulfurSulfur
Sulfur or sulphur is the chemical element with atomic number 16. In the periodic table it is represented by the symbol S. It is an abundant, multivalent non-metal. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with chemical formula S8. Elemental sulfur is a bright yellow...
ore just south of Cove Fort in 1870. Minimal work was done until 1883, when a thermal plant
Thermal power station
A thermal power station is a power plant in which the prime mover is steam driven. Water is heated, turns into steam and spins a steam turbine which drives an electrical generator. After it passes through the turbine, the steam is condensed in a condenser and recycled to where it was heated; this...
was built to process the extracted sulfur. Steady production began in 1890. 1,000 tons of sulfur were produced annually for fifteen years. The mining company that operated the mines at Sulphurdale built 30 homes for the workers, a school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
house, a company store
Retailing
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
, and company offices. For a time, the town was unofficially known as Morrissey, after the operator of the mines. Twice every week, freighters hauled 20 tons of sulfur to the Union Pacific loading docks at Black Rock. Only the high grade ore was considered useful; the rest of the ore went unused.
Although the Sulphurdale mines were fully operational, very little sulfur was mined. A sulfur mill that was built in 1951 did not produce much high quality sulfur. Production began to slow down in the 1940s and 1950s. In 1961 the Sulphurdale Chemical Company built a mill and began commercial production in 1965; however, the company owner died in 1966 and the mill shut down. After seventy years of activity, the mines at Sulphurdale were closed. In 1985, a geothermal power system was installed near Sulphurdale, and the power system is currently in operation, producing electricity for Provo
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
. The hydrothermal system it exploits is one of the largest in the western United States, with temperature anomalies of up to 200 °C (392 °F) per kilometer. The schoolhouse and a couple of homes remain in the town proper.