Park City History

Park City was settled as a mining community in 1870, following the discovery of lead, gold, and silver in the area. The city became heavily populated to such an extent that many people thought it would replace Salt Lake City as the primary city in Utah.

One of the few Utah towns established by non-Mormons, it once had 27 saloons lining the street, with an accompanying wager, apparently never won, that no one could take a drink at each one in a single night and end up standing. Getting a drink in this part of Utah was never a problem.

The town was virtually destroyed by fire in 1898. Tragedy struck again in 1902 when 34 miners were killed in an explosion in the Day West Mine. The mining community never fully recovered after the explosion.

After the first world war, a collapse in silver prices and the economic consequences associated with the war exacerbated the town's decline. In the 1950s Park City was listed as one of the ghost towns of the west.

Skiing, however, helped put Park City back on the map. As long ago as the 1920s, miners in Park City were using underground trains and shafts to gain access to the mountain for skiing. When the slopes opened to the public in 1963 as Treasure Mountain, skiers were transported nearly three miles into the mountain on the Spiro Tunnel mine train and then lifted 1800 ft (548 m) to the slopes on a mine hoist elevator. Aerial trams once used for hauling ore were converted into chairlifts.

To this day, there are still more than 1000 miles (1609 km) of old silver-mine workings and tunnels beneath the slopes at Park City Mountain Resort and neighboring Deer Valley. Main Street sets the tone for Park City’s character. Sixty four (64) Victorian buildings are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Other relics from its past have been left near the slopes. Old mine buildings, mineshafts, and hoists, including the weathered remains of the Walker Webster Silver Mine and the Silver King water tower are still visible.