Eureka, Juab County

Eureka was originally known as Ruby Hollow in 1870. The first houses were built the next year. Incorporated as a city in 1892 as the financial center for the Tintic Mining District, Eureka became the 9th largest city in Utah with a population over 3000 in 1910. A JCPenny (supposedly the second store ever built) was here, but was called the Golden Rule Store then.

The census of 2000 counts 766 people in the old mining town. 

We were driving through, so there are not many pictures. Porter Rockwell's house certainly piqued our interest, so that was our first stop. I intend to go back and see the cemetery and explore the town a little more. Maybe I'll find a JCPenny. Take a moment to check out pictures from Utah Division of State History's photos of Eureka in it's heyday.

Porter Rockwell's house and ... the Star Theatre...

Can you really call this a theatre?

People were shorter then

Across the street from Rockwell's house... abandoned on Main Street

 The Tintic Mining District was the largest and most productive mining district of Juab County, credited with more than $180 million in production from 1869 to 1917. The "Big Four" of Eureka were the Gemini, Bullion-Beck, Eureka Hill and Centennial Eureka. Most of the mines closed in the 1930's, the last closing in 1957.

Lawrence, Emery County

Lawrence, sometimes called "Stakerville", is a farming has a population of 50 people. The sign on the street of Lawrence says it was established in 1889. This is when the Lawrence LDS Ward was organized. It seems precinct was first settled by William Alma and Hilma Eckberg Staker and their infant son William Helaman and the Lawrence district was established 1885-ish. There was a two-room brick school with an enrollment of 80 in 1890 (the population of the town was 107). The highest population I've seen in my little search is 160 in 1900. 

This little town did have its brush with national stories.  In 1918 an influenza epidemic crossed the nation. In October of that year, three people of Lawrence died from the disease. 

The most exciting story I found was of a resident (I can't find the name of this guy yet, but I'm still looking) with the reputation as "the greatest bootlegger of whiskey in Utah and Western Colorado". He employed several up to Nine Mile (north of Price) and through the San Rafael Swell, Book Cliff Mountains, "any remote place with a good waterhole." Bootleg whiskey was sold to distributors for $4 a gallon ($48.05 today). Selling twelve pints for a dollar a profit of $8 could be made. It took eight days in the hayfield to make that money! I wonder who this guy was!

 

The "Unknown" headstones numbered up to 28. I wonder if one of these is William or Hilma Staker

One of the town's first residents! William Alma Staker. And what a lovely headstone too!

The school closed in 1927 and there's nothing left. The church meetinghouse built in 1889 was closed in 1943, of which we found no remains. The only thing left of the old farming town is the cemetery.

The widest shot I could get inside the fence at the cemetery. Looking north west

Lots of fences in this cemetery. Each couple of plots were inside their own fence. Looking south west

This was just an awesome scene. No idea how old the house it, but such a rustic shot!

Mohrland, Emery County

Mohrland is still on the map in Emery County. This company town was named after the initials of the Castle Valley Fuel Company's big investors: Mays, Orem, Heiner, and Rice. It was first mined in 1906. The town grew through the company's financial problems. At its peak, Mohrland has a hospital, company boarding house, school, post office, saloons, Errol Charlestrom's Wasatch Store, a large amusement hall and over 200 homes. The Western Mining and Railroad Museum has great pictures of Mohrland in its day. 
In 1915 ownership of the coal mine was transferred to the United States Fuel Company. The company town was a nice place to live. The streets were lined with shade trees. Dances, films and events were regularly scheduled. The company baseball team was really good. In 1915 they played an exhibition game at Price against the Chicago White Sox! (They lost 17 to 1.)
On March 1, 1925 the town was suddenly closed. No warning. As a company town with residents who bought their groceries with company credits and the store, there was suddenly no money and no food. Mohrland reopened just as suddenly in September 1926. The town never recovered from the shock of the 1925 closure. In 1930 the population was 620 and the Great Depression was a bad time to be in coal production. Mohrland was closed and mining operations were moved to nearby Hiawatha. The buildings were sold for salvage. Few shadows remain of this old mining town.

Abandoned Railroad

Up the hill a little is a ghost of where an old railroad used to be

Top of the ghost track looking south east

Looking West. Look at photo 7-1-10. The train track is below. This is near the old mine tipple.

Looking East

Remains of the coal mine?

Looking up at the ghost track from the creek below (by the newer railroad)

My husband admiring the rust and ties. Looking north.

Rock fall with lots of nails and rust!

From the river on the South side of the street looking at the abandoned railroad

Three tier. Old homes? Soon to be buried.

What's left of the Mohrland School

West of the amusement hall. Not sure what this was.

Bibliography: Geary, Edward A (January 1996). A History of Emery County (PDF). Utah Centennial County History Series. Salt Lake City, Utah: Utah State Historical Society. ISBN 0-913738-05-0