The Unusual and Historic Silver Reef Ghost Town in So. Utah

Utah is home to many ghost towns and one of those is Silver Reef Ghost Town. 

Britannica.com defines a ghost town as a “Town that was once an active community but has since been abandoned by all or nearly all of its residents. The reasons for the abandonment of a ghost town include economic or resource issues, natural disasters, extreme climates, war, and other armed conflicts, the building of dams, pollution, and nuclear disasters.” 

Located 15 miles northeast of St. George, Silver Reef was a mining boomtown in the late 1800s with the discovery of silver in sandstone. According to Only in Your State, “The discovery was unique because the silver was found in sandstone, which is a geological rarity.” Silver Reef reached its peak in the 1880s. The mining district at the time had thirty-seven mines and five stamp mills. 

 According to National Geographic, "The process of mining dates back to prehistoric times. Prehistoric people first mined flint, which was ideal for tools and weapons since it broke into shards with sharp edges. The mining of gold and copper also dates back to prehistoric times."

If you decide to visit Silver Reef Ghost Town there is a museum that will take you through the history of the town as well as walking trails that will take you around the old main street. You can visit the Silver Reef Museum at 1903 Wells Fargo Road Silver Reef, Utah.

You can take a look at some more of Utah's ghost towns at the links below.

https://b921hits.com/the-unique-history-of-this-spirited-ghost-town/

https://b921hits.com/5-southern-utah-ghost-towns/

Take a look at some of Utah's forbidden places below.