Park
City Real Estate And Land
Park City Real Estate And Land's History
If you’re thinking of purchasing Park city
real estate and land these facts about the area will help you decide
this is the best choice for you! Part of the charm of Park City
Utah is its history. Park City Utah began as a small mining town.
The Park City Utah Mining District comprises a tract that lies between
the steep wall and ledges that mark the crest of the mountain range
on the west and the mountain meadows of Heber, Kamas, and Parleys
Canyon along the eastern foothills. Some thirty miles southeast
of Salt Lake City, Park City Utah is situated on an intermediate
belt that sits upon a spur which extends from Dayton Peak, in the
main range to the east, and which forms the head of East Canyon,
divides the Weber from the Provo river, and is the link between
the Wasatch Range and the Uinta uplift. It is located in Summit
County.
How did Park City Utah start as a mining town?
On December 23, 1869 the Young American lode became the first recorded
claim of the district. However, it was the discovery of the rich
Ontario mine that initiated efforts to mine lode ores and acted
as the catalyst for Park City's rapid growth and reputation as a
great silver mining camp. In 1872, shortly after its discovery,
the mine was sold for $27,000 to George Hearst of San Francisco,
and was run by R.C. Chambers until 1901. It reportedly produced
some $50,000,000 of ore. The Pinon, Walker and Webster, Flagstaff,
McHenry, Buckeye, and other area mines also shipped small amounts
of ore. By 1879 the Ontario mine was flourishing, with houses springing
up near the mine and lower down the canyon, creating the very first
Park city real estate and land.
Mining operations continued to develop in the late 1880s and early
1890s. In 1885 John J. Daly formed the Daily Mining Company, and
later the Daly West. The Daly-Judge (John Judge) Mining Company
was formed in 1901, and consolidated its holdings in 1902. In 1892
David Keith, W.V. Rice, Thomas Kearns, A.B. Emery, and John Judge
acquired a lease on the Mayflower claim; while working the interior
they found that it extended into Silver King property. The Silver
King Mining Company soon was incorporated for $3,000,000 and the
well-managed property quickly attained high ranking among bonanza
silver and lead mines. Park City Utah boomed, and personalities
such as the Silver Queen (Susanah Bradford Emery Holmes) added to
the city's style and lore.
The Panic of 1893 slowed economic growth, and Park city real estate
and land expansion was decisively halted by a devastating fire.
On 19 June 1898 fire raged through the Park City Utah commercial
district. The blaze was the greatest in Utah history. Main Street
lay in ruins, with only a few gaunt walls remaining. Losses were
estimated at over $1,000,000, and some 200 business houses and dwellings
perished. With community support, however, the town rebuilt, replacing
stone and brick structures with wood buildings, which were later
improved again to brick and stone.
Commercial and Park city real estate and land activity flourished.
Utah business directories reveal that in 1892-93, 112 businesses
(including physicians and lawyers, but not mining companies) were
listed; while in 1903-04 approximately 136 concerns operated in
the town. By 1918-19 the number had declined to 87; and in 1920-21
only 75 such entries were listed. As elsewhere, the Great Depression
of the 1930s halted development.
Political activity and public life in the city were embodied in
City Hall, quickly rebuilt after the 1898 fire. During the Great
Depression of the 1930s, the WPA erected the War Memorial Building
that served the recreational needs of the community. Social halls,
saloons, and theaters all marked life in Park City. The Odd Fellows,
Elks, and Masons contributed to the town's social life.
Mining activity slowed greatly because of various depressions.
By the 1950s Park City Utah was almost dead; but due to the increase
in winter recreational activity (especially skiing), the town experienced
a rebirth in the 1960s and Park city real estate and land thrives
because of its status as a key resort town in northern Utah and
the West. The Deer Valley area was added to Park City's development
in the 1980s, and has added to its reputation as an excellent winter
skiing area, as has also Park West resort. In 1976 Park City's local
government passed a Land Management Code, delineating historic districts
and instituting preservation ordinances. In 1978 the Park City Utah
Main Street Historic District was listed in the National Register
of Historic Places. Other listings followed as the historic character
of Park City Utah was viewed as a key element in the town's colorful
past and part of its attraction for the future.
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