Silver City

Silver City is an abandoned mining town in Juab County, Utah, situated at over 6000 feet in rocky, dry terrain. The site contains concrete foundations of smelting and milling facilities, scattered building remains, and a cemetery with graves dating from the late 1800s to early 1900s.

Silver City emerged in 1869 following the first silver ore discovery in the Tintic Mining District and quickly became the district's leading camp. The town experienced boom periods in the 1870s and 1890s, peaked around 1908 with approximately 1500 residents, then declined as ore processing shifted to distant smelters and metal prices fell.

Silver City was built by miners from Germany, Ireland, Wales, and Cornwall who brought their skills and traditions to this remote location. Walking through the site today, you can sense how these different communities shaped the town through their work and the structures they left behind.

The site is open for self-guided exploration, allowing visitors to examine old foundations and cemetery remnants at their own pace. Sturdy walking shoes are recommended since the terrain is uneven and the elevation exceeds 6000 feet.

Silver City housed one of the largest ore processing facilities of the early 1900s, with smelting and milling operations that operated until 1916 and shipped bullion by rail each month. These industrial ruins stand frozen in time, offering rare evidence of early mining technology.