La Plata, Utah

Edit links
Coordinates: 41°26′38″N 111°40′47″W / 41.44389°N 111.67972°W / 41.44389; -111.67972
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

La Plata, Utah
UTC-6 (MDT)
GNIS feature ID1448560[1]

La Plata is a

Bear River Mountains on a small tributary of the east fork of the Little Bear River, La Plata was a short-lived silver mining boomtown
in the 1890s.

History

The first

mining claim, but the secret got out. Several more high-grade ore pockets were found, and a silver rush began.[3] This was the first major Utah mining claim ever found north of Salt Lake City, and many northern Utahns became interested.[5] By August 1891 more than 1000 miners had arrived,[4] and the number soon reached 1500. Lines of cabins and stores stretched along either side of the creek, forming a town called La Plata (Spanish for "silver"). There were 60–70 buildings in all, including two stores, saloons, a bank, and a post office.[3]

Because La Plata was populated largely by locals who had temporarily become miners, it was different from most western mining camps. It never had a cemetery, as there were never any killings in town. When a few prostitutes tried to set up business here, they were driven out.[2] The Thatcher Brothers Bank in Logan bought the original claim, called the Sundown Mine. Ore was shipped north to Logan then transported by rail to Salt Lake City.[6] Both Cache and Weber counties were petitioned to build roads to the site; the Cache road was completed first and somewhat less difficult to travel, although there was no easy route to La Plata.[5]

La Plata's high elevation made for harsh winters, and few people stayed after the 1891 season.

temporary restraining orders that closed most of the mines, was very bad for business and for the community.[2] The silver mining operations had little chance to recover before the Panic of 1893, which closed many silver mines nationwide. A few mines remained open at La Plata, continuing to produce lead, until its price also dropped. The town did not last through 1894,[3] although some sporadic mining activity continued as late as 1906.[2]

Today the site of La Plata is surrounded by private land, which has helped preserve a few old cabins here. Mining machinery and collapsing

shafts also remain as traces of the old silver mines.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: La Plata
  2. ^
    ISSN 0042-143X
    . Retrieved July 16, 2012.
  3. ^
    ISBN 0-914740-30-X
    .
  4. ^
    ISBN 0-942688-01-5
    .
  5. ^
    ISBN 0-913738-14-X
    . Retrieved July 16, 2012.
  6. ISBN 0-913738-10-7
    . Retrieved July 16, 2012.

External links
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=La_Plata,_Utah&oldid=1192647306"