Gold Hill, Utah facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gold Hill
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Gold Hill, Utah, September 2007
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 Gold Hill
Location in Utah
Gold Hill
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Utah |
| County | Tooele |
| Founded | 1871 |
| Named for | The presence of gold in the nearby hills |
| Elevation | 5,298 ft (1,615 m) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1428231 |
Gold Hill is a small, quiet place in western Utah, close to the Nevada border. It's called an unincorporated community, which means it's a settlement without its own local government. Once, it was a busy mining town!
Contents
A Look Back at Gold Hill's Past
Gold Hill is nestled near the Deep Creek Mountains. For many years, it was a hub for mining. Miners dug up valuable minerals like gold, copper, arsenic, silver, lead, and tungsten. A special train line, the Deep Creek Railroad, ended right here in Gold Hill.
How Gold Hill Started
People first found gold in Gold Hill way back in 1858. But the town didn't really start until 1871. That's when a smelter was built. A smelter is a place where metal is taken out of ore using heat. The town itself was officially created in 1892.
Gold Hill's Mining Boom
As other mines nearby started to close down, Gold Hill became very important. Its ore, which is rock with valuable minerals, was some of the richest ever found. After the gold and copper mines were mostly worked out, Gold Hill had another busy time. This was during World War I, when there was a big need for arsenic.
The Town Today
Gold Hill saw a smaller boost in mining during World War II. But after that, mining stopped for good. Today, Gold Hill is almost a ghost town. Only a few people still live there. You can still explore many of the old buildings.
Famous Visitors
Did you know that Jack Dempsey once mined here? He was a famous boxer who worked in the mines before he became a champion. Gold Hill even had its own post office from 1911 to 1949.
The Gold Hill Mine
The main mine in Gold Hill was first called the Western Utah Mine. It started in the 1890s. The mine grew even bigger when the railroad arrived in 1917.
Why the Mine Closed
Mining at Gold Hill Mine stopped in 1925. This happened because the market for arsenic crashed. There was no longer a high demand for it. The mine might be permanently closed in the future.
What the Mine Produced
A report from 1935 said that the Western Utah Copper Company owned the mine. This single mine produced more than half of all the ore from the area. It dug up over 33,960 tons of ore, which was worth a lot of money back then.
