Matlin, Utah facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Matlin, Utah
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Looking east at the Matlin siding with the wye in the foreground, unknown date
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 Matlin, Utah
Location in Utah
Matlin, Utah
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Utah |
| County | Box Elder |
| Founded | 1869 |
| Abandoned | 1904 |
| Elevation | 4,603 ft (1,403 m) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1437996 |
Matlin is a ghost town located in a desert area of Box Elder County, Utah. It's a place where people used to live, but now it's empty.
Matlin: A Railroad Ghost Town
Matlin was started by the Central Pacific Railroad (CPRR) on April 5, 1869. Chinese railroad workers helped build this small community. They also built things needed to keep the train tracks running smoothly. The town depended completely on the railroad for everything.
Why Matlin Became a Ghost Town
But in 1904, everyone left Matlin. This happened because a new train route called the Lucin Cutoff was finished. The new route meant trains didn't need to stop at Matlin anymore.
Records show that in 1870, about 15 people lived there. By 1876, there were 25 residents. These numbers likely did not include the many Chinese workers who lived in the town.
What's Left of Matlin Today
Today, almost nothing is left of the town. You can still see the shape in the ground where a special train track, called a wye, was built in 1900.
In June 2020, a large wildfire called the Matlin Fire happened. It was started by lightning on June 4. The fire burned about 8,000 acres (3,237 hectares) around Matlin. This fire damaged or destroyed many important old items that were still at the site. Chris Merritt, a historic preservation officer, said the area looked like a "giant shadow" after the fire.
