Miners Basin, Utah facts for kids

Miners Basin, also known simply as Basin, is a fascinating ghost town located in Grand County, Utah, United States. A ghost town is a place where people used to live and work, but then everyone left, and now it's mostly empty buildings. Miners Basin was a busy place for about ten years, from 1898 to 1908.

History of Miners Basin

Miners Basin was built high up in the La Sal Mountains. People first found copper in this area in 1888. But it took a while for a town to grow there.

A Town for Miners

In 1898, a group called the Miners Basin Mining District decided to build a special town for their workers. This was a "company town," meaning the mining company owned most of the buildings and services. It was a convenient way for miners to live close to their work.

Life in the Basin

Between 1896 and 1905, about 75 to 80 people lived in Miners Basin. The town had several important businesses. There were two saloons, which were places where people could relax and socialize. There was also a blacksmith shop, where metal tools were made and repaired. A hotel offered places for visitors or new workers to stay, and a post office helped people send and receive letters.

Why the Town Became Empty

The mining for copper in Miners Basin did not last very long. When the copper ran out, or it became too hard to get, the mining stopped. Because the town was built for the miners, most residents had to move away to find new jobs. By 1908, only six or seven families were left in Miners Basin. Soon after, the town became completely empty, turning it into the ghost town we see today.

What Remains Today

Even though the town is empty, you can still find some of the old buildings and parts of the mines. Much of the area, which is about 700 acres (280 ha), is on private land. If you like hiking, there's a trail in the La Sal Mountains that goes right past where Miners Basin used to be. It's a cool way to imagine what life was like there over a hundred years ago!