Peerless, Utah facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peerless
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Filled-in mine shaft at Peerless, August 2010
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 Peerless
Location in Utah
Peerless
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Utah |
| County | Carbon |
| Founded | 1916 |
| Abandoned | 1953 |
| Elevation | 6,447 ft (1,965 m) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1437655 |
Peerless is a ghost town located in Carbon County, Utah, United States. It is found about 3 miles (5 km) west of the town of Helper. A ghost town is a place where most or all people have left, often leaving behind empty buildings or just ruins.
Contents
History of Peerless
How Peerless Started
In 1916, two brothers named William and Charles Sweet bought a large piece of land, about 440 acres (1.8 km²). They wanted to start digging for coal there. Coal was a very important fuel at that time.
Just one year later, in 1917, the Sweet brothers sold their land to a company called the Peerless Coal Company. This company continued to develop the coal mine.
Growing into a Town
By 1918, the Peerless Coal Company began shipping coal using the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad. As more coal was mined, more workers were needed. This caused the town of Peerless to grow.
At its busiest time, about 300 people lived in Peerless. Half of these people worked in the coal mines. The town had many buildings for its residents. There were about thirty homes, a store where people could buy supplies, a school for children, the mine office, a post office, and even a pool hall for entertainment.
The Peak of Coal Mining
Coal production was highest during World War I. At that time, the mine was digging out an amazing 2,000 tons of coal every single day! This shows how important Peerless was for providing energy during the war.
The Decline and End of Peerless
After the peak, coal mining started to slow down in 1938. As there was less work, people began to move away from Peerless. By the time World War II started, the mine was barely working, and only a few people were left in the town.
Finally, in 1954, the Peerless mine closed completely. The remaining residents left, and Peerless became a true ghost town. Today, you can still find some old foundations of buildings and places where the mine shafts were filled in.
