Wahsatch, Utah facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wahsatch
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Foundation at Wahsatch, June 2013
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 Wahsatch
Location in Utah
Wahsatch
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Utah |
| County | Summit |
| Established | 1868 |
| Abandoned | 1930s |
| Named for | Wasatch Mountains |
| Elevation | 6,824 ft (2,080 m) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1437714 |
Wahsatch (/ˈwɑːsætʃ/ WAH-satch) is a ghost town in Summit County, Utah, United States. It's located along I-80. You can find it at the northeastern end of Echo Canyon. It's about 23 miles east of Echo. It's also 11 miles west of Evanston, Wyoming.
Wahsatch began as a camp for railroad workers. Later, it became important for sheep ranching. People lived there from 1868 until the 1930s.
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History of Wahsatch
Wahsatch was started in 1868. It was a camp for building the Union Pacific Railroad. This was the first of many such camps in Utah. They were building the First Transcontinental Railroad.
Building the Railroad Tunnel
From 1868 to 1869, hundreds of workers were busy. They dug the 772-foot Echo tunnel. This tunnel went through the Wasatch Mountains. Wahsatch quickly became a major supply stop. It was also a railhead, where trains could load and unload.
The town had its own roundhouse for trains. There were also workshops and boarding houses. Warehouses stored supplies. When the transcontinental railroad was finished in May 1869, a meal station was built. Passengers could eat there while waiting.
A Wild West Town
During the tunnel building (1868–1869), Wahsatch was a very wild place. Workers would spend their pay right away. They often went to tent saloons. There were many arguments and fights. The town didn't have a proper cemetery. So, people buried the dead quickly on hillsides.
This wild time didn't last long. In the early 1870s, nearby Evanston, Wyoming, grew faster. The railroad moved most of its operations to Evanston. Wahsatch's population dropped a lot. Most of its buildings were torn down. Wahsatch became mainly a place to load livestock onto trains.
Sheep Ranching Boom
Toward the end of the 1800s, Wahsatch saw a small comeback. The area's sheep ranches were growing. Wahsatch became a central spot for them. New homes were built. Ranchers and workers gathered there each year. They came for the sheep shearing season.
In the spring of 1899, about 700,000 pounds of wool were sheared. In June 1903, 489 train carloads of sheep arrived. They came from their winter grazing areas. The town grew enough to build a new school in 1910.
In 1916, Wahsatch became the main spot for building a second railroad tunnel. This brought another temporary increase in people. The railroad built a new depot and section houses in the 1930s. But Wahsatch soon started to decline. The sheep industry also faced tough times. The town was completely abandoned in the 1930s.
Visiting Wahsatch Today
The original townsite is on the north side of the highway. This land belongs to the railroad. But you can visit the ruins on the south side. They are on a public road. Most visitors only see an old wooden sign that says Wahsatch next to the tracks. However, you can still find some old railroad building parts and equipment.
