Dividend, Utah facts for kids
Dividend is a former town, also known as a ghost town, located in the southwestern part of Utah County, Utah, United States. It's a place that once had people living there but is now mostly empty.
What Was Dividend?
Dividend was a small community that grew up around a successful mining operation. It was named "Dividend" because the nearby mine was doing so well that it was expected to pay out "dividends." A dividend is a payment made by a company to its shareholders, usually from its profits. It's like sharing the company's earnings with the people who own a part of it.
A Town Built on Mining Success
The town of Dividend was officially recognized with its own post office in 1922. This post office helped people send and receive mail, connecting the small mining community to the rest of the world. The mine that gave the town its name was very profitable. By 1922, it had already paid out over one million dollars in dividends to its owners. This was a huge amount of money back then!
When Did Dividend Become a Ghost Town?
The post office in Dividend stayed open for almost 30 years, closing down in 1951. As the mining activity slowed down or stopped, people began to move away to find work elsewhere. Eventually, the town became empty, turning into the ghost town we know today.