Coal City, Utah facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Coal City
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Country | United States |
State | Utah |
County | Carbon |
Founded | 1885 |
Abandoned | 1940 |
Named for | Coal |
Elevation | 7,132 ft (2,174 m) |
GNIS feature ID | 1451215 |
Coal City is a ghost town in Carbon County, Utah, United States. Established in 1885, Coal City was initially a farming community until coal was discovered in the area. Small-scale mining began to take place, and because the mining operations were a mile or two away from the mines at National and Consumers, it was assumed that the citizens of the town would lack workplace stress. Coal production began to decline in 1935, and the town was essentially abandoned with just two residences occupied by the late 1960s.
History
In 1885, a group of settlers established a town in Carbon County, Utah, and called it Oak Springs Bench. Because the town's elevation was approximately 7,000 feet (2,100 m), farming and ranching were difficult. The town's residents lacked stress from mining operations because they were located away from the larger mining operations in National and Consumers. At its peak, the population was about 70. In 1926, the mine superintendent, George Storrs, was indicted for mail fraud. Though he was cleared of charges, in December 1926, Storrs's mining company went bankrupt and halted operations. The town began to decline in 1935 and by 1940 it was uninhabited. A few buildings remain in Coal City, including two stores, several houses, and a few outbuildings.