Eureka

Eureka

There are hundreds of ghost towns in Utah. Because Utah was settled by pioneers, many settlements were later abandoned or the population dropped so low leaving disheveled and unkempt buildings.  Some are literally falling down and the wood is rotting through the dusty rat infested houses. Why were they abandoned? Old mining towns ran out of gold, copper or silver and thus the miners and families moved to the next mining town; military left Utah when they determined that the Mormons were not a threat to anyone. People starved to death. The dirt is mostly clay and sand; if it is not watered frequently, plants die.

Eureka was founded in 1870 when the TINTIC Mining company was in full swing (Tintic was the name of a Ute Indian Chief). Eureka was known as the quietest mining town in the west and in 1910, it was the 9th largest city in Utah with 3500 residents.  With all these old creaky and extremely very dangerous buildings in this town, there are still around 700 residents who live there full time.

Tintic Mine

New Sign

Inside dangerous house

Ye Ole Tintic Lumber Company

Porter Rockwell's Cabin

Porter Rockwell lived in numerous Utah settlements. He operated the Hot Springs Hotel and Brewery at the south end of the Salt Lake Valley known was Point of the Mountain. The site is now on the grounds of the State Prison.

There is a steak house in Lehi which serves delicious buffalo meat and melt in your mouth steak; this family-owned restaurant is dedicated to Porter.  He was an infamous mountain man who never cut his hair, just like Samson in the Bible. Why is there a cabin dedicated to him in Eureka - don't really know.

Interior of Porter's Place

The bar originally came from a bar in Montana and has resided here every since.  It is an exceptional steak house and especially draws people during the June rodeos.