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Frisco, Utah
Remains of Frisco. The charcoal kilns in the background are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Remains of Frisco. The charcoal kilns in the background are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Frisco, Utah is located in Utah
Frisco, Utah
Frisco, Utah
Location in Utah
Frisco, Utah is located in the United States
Frisco, Utah
Frisco, Utah
Location in the United States
Country United States
State Utah
County Beaver
Established 1879
Abandoned 1929
Named for San Francisco Mountains
Elevation
6,421 ft (1,957 m)
GNIS feature ID 1437563

Frisco is a ghost town in Beaver County, Utah, United States. It was a busy mining town from 1879 to 1929. At its busiest in 1885, Frisco was home to about 6,000 people.

History of Frisco

Ghost town Frisco in Utah
Dilapidated buildings in the ghost town of Frisco in 1997.

Frisco grew into an important center for the San Francisco Mining District. It had a post office and many businesses. It was also the end point for the Utah Southern Railroad line from Milford.

The Horn Silver Mine

The famous Horn Silver Mine was found in 1875. By 1885, this mine had produced over $20 million worth of valuable ore. Overall, by 1885, more than $60 million worth of metals like zinc, copper, lead, silver, and gold had been shipped from Frisco. These metals came from many mines in the area.

Life in Frisco

Frisco was known as a very lively town. It had 23 places where people could gather. Life in the town could be quite challenging. For example, fresh drinking water had to be brought in from other places.

The Mine Collapse

Things changed suddenly for Frisco on February 13, 1885. The Horn Silver Mine completely caved in. This mine was unusual because it was a very deep open pit, about 900 feet (274 meters) deep. It was held up by wooden supports, which meant it could have collapsed at any time.

Later Years and Today

In 1905, a local Mormon church group was formed. However, by 1911, many mines started to close. So many people left Frisco that the church group was no longer active. After many years of being empty, another company tried to mine in the area again in 2002.

Modern frisco charcoal kilns
The charcoal kilns at Frisco. These were used to make charcoal for the mines.
Frisco Historical Marker
A historical marker about Frisco from 2023.

Frisco's Location

Frisco is located at 38°27′35″N 113°15′32″W / 38.45972°N 113.25889°W / 38.45972; -113.25889. It sits at an elevation of about 6,500 feet (1,981 meters) above sea level.

Population Changes

At its busiest, Frisco had almost 6,000 residents. Here's how its population changed over the years:

Year Population
1880 800
1900 500
1912 150
1918 300
1922–1923 100
1927–1928 100
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