Silver Reef, Utah – Sandstone Ghost Town
(Poem)
Alas, the homes that sprang so quickly
Soon were vacant, empty rooms.
But the pioneers who viewed them
Could not see them just decay,
And they brought their teams and wagons,
Hastily hauling them away.
Now, a scarred and lonely landscape
Greets the trav’ler’s wondering gaze,
As he comes to view the remnants
Of this camp of by-gone days.
And, so, we love your memory,
Sad old Silver Reef!
And your bright, new promise too,
Of a newer flow of metals,
lately Come to light,
That can even help our Nation in defending
What is right.
— Marietta M. Mariger, 1951
Nestled approximately 15 miles northeast of St. George, Utah, lies the evocative remains of Silver Reef, Utah – Sandstone Ghost Town. This intriguing locale, often referred to as a ghost town, owes its genesis to an improbable discovery: silver embedded within the sandstone cliffs of the Pine Valley Mountains’ eastern slope. The very notion of silver existing within sandstone was considered highly unconventional, defying conventional geological wisdom and giving rise to numerous colorful tales surrounding its initial discovery.
The lore surrounding the discovery of silver in Silver Reef, Utah – Sandstone Ghost Town, is rich with anecdotal accounts. One of the most widely circulated narratives recounts the story of John Kemple, a prospector who, in 1866, was traversing the sandstone reefs in search of any telltale metallic glint. Seeking refuge from the elements, he sought shelter with a family in the Mormon settlement of Leeds. As the story goes, while warming himself by the fire, Kemple purportedly observed a glistening stream emerging from an overheated rock. The following day, he embarked on a quest to locate the source of what he believed to be silver. Although he did unearth a small sample, it proved insufficient to retain his interest, and he soon ventured onward to the silver boomtowns of Nevada.
Another captivating anecdote involves an assayer operating in the infamous mining town of Pioche, Nevada, notorious for his exaggerated ore assessments. Known derisively as "Metalliferous" Murphy by local prospectors, two miners allegedly decided to play a prank on him by submitting fragments of a broken grindstone for assay. Predictably, Murphy reported that the fragments contained silver to the value of 200 ounces per ton. Enraged by his habitual dishonesty, the miners threatened to hang Murphy if he did not immediately depart from the town. Murphy complied, but not before tracing the source of the grindstone fragments back to the area that would eventually become Silver Reef, Utah – Sandstone Ghost Town. He then journeyed to Utah in pursuit of the "sandstone silver." Although there is no record of Murphy ever filing a claim, his presence quickly attracted the attention of other prospectors, and the existence of silver within the sandstone formations was soon confirmed, much to the astonishment of many skeptical miners. This discovery marked the first and only instance of silver being found in sandstone in North America, adding to the allure and mystique of Silver Reef, Utah – Sandstone Ghost Town.
In 1874, John Kemple, the prospector from the initial tale, returned to the area and established the Harrisburg Mining District. Despite filing several claims, he inexplicably never developed them. News of the silver discovery, however, had spread, and the area soon teemed with prospectors eager to stake their own claims. The potential riches of the area drew the attention of two Salt Lake City bankers, who provided financial backing to William T. Barbee, a renowned prospector, in 1875. Barbee staked more than 20 claims and founded a town he christened Bonanza City. However, the settlement offered little in the way of amenities in its early days, and the exorbitant lot prices proved prohibitive for most miners. Consequently, they established a tent city nearby, which they simply referred to as "Rockpile."
Following the closure of the mines in Pioche, Nevada, in November 1875, numerous businesses relocated to the area, choosing to establish their operations in "Rockpile" rather than the more expensive Bonanza City. The rapidly expanding community eventually adopted the name Silver Reef, and by February 1877, the camp was bustling with over 1,000 men seeking their fortunes.
Within a short period, the town of Silver Reef, Utah – Sandstone Ghost Town, boasted over 100 businesses stretching along a mile-long main street. These included nine grocery stores, six saloons, a newspaper called the Silver Echo, eight dry goods stores, a bank, a Wells Fargo office, a hospital, hotels and boarding houses, and five restaurants.
Despite being surrounded by Mormon settlements, Silver Reef never had a Mormon Church. Instead, the Catholic Church served as the primary religious institution in town, and the building was generously shared with the Presbyterians for their services. A school was also constructed, which served as a venue for services by other denominations, as well as a gathering place for community meetings and celebrations. The building was later moved to the nearby town of Leeds in the early 1900s.
By 1879, Silver Reef, Utah – Sandstone Ghost Town, was home to approximately 2,000 residents and featured a horse racetrack, a brewery, and a brass band. However, the year proved to be tumultuous for the settlement. A major fire ravaged the town, the price of silver plummeted, labor disputes erupted in the mines, and flooding inundated many of the low-level mine shafts.
Despite these setbacks, Silver Reef, Utah – Sandstone Ghost Town, persevered, remaining the center of a six-mile area of active mines that produced over a million dollars in ore each year. However, its decline was inevitable. In late 1881, silver prices experienced a global decline, the mines were flooding with water at a rate that exceeded the capacity of the workers to pump it out, and mine owners began to reduce wages.
Unable to afford to remain in the area, most miners began to depart. By 1884, the majority of the area’s mines had ceased operations, and Silver Reef quickly transformed into a ghost town. By 1890, fewer than 200 people remained in the area, and the last mine was shut down the following year, although ore continued to be extracted from the area for the next decade. Over its lifespan, Silver Reef, Utah – Sandstone Ghost Town, produced approximately 25 million dollars worth of ore.
In the early 1900s, many of the remaining buildings were demolished, and in 1908, a fire destroyed most of what was left standing.
Despite its decline, several historic buildings have managed to survive in Silver Reef, Utah – Sandstone Ghost Town, including a collapsed mine, numerous foundations and ruins, and two cemeteries.
The 1877 Wells Fargo Office served as a residence until the late 1940s. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it now functions as a museum and art gallery, offering visitors a glimpse into the town’s rich history.
The 1876 Rice Bank Building was meticulously dismantled and then reconstructed to serve as a jail during a significant mining dispute in the late 1800s. It continues to stand as a testament to the town’s turbulent past. During the conflict, one mine foreman was forced to leave town, and another was subjected to tarring and feathering. The authorities subsequently arrested the union leaders, but due to the limited space within the old bank building, a line was drawn around the building to "hold" the men. Anyone who crossed the line was threatened with being shot. In 1991, the building underwent a complete restoration.
Behind the Wells Fargo building is a restored powder house, which now serves as an information center for visitors.
The Cosmopolitan Restaurant appears to have been reconstructed to resemble its appearance from over a century ago. Although it presents a rustic exterior, the gourmet restaurant offers European cuisine in a refined dining atmosphere.
Scattered throughout the town are numerous abandoned ruins and foundations, particularly in the gully behind the old town site, where crumbling mine buildings continue to stand. The once mile-long main street has been reduced to a few hundred yards and is surrounded by an upscale community of private homes on a private drive, restricting public access. Nearby are the remnants of both a Catholic and a Protestant cemetery.
Silver Reef is located approximately 15 miles northeast of St. George, Utah, just off Highway 15. To reach it, take the Leeds Exit (#22) and travel 1.5 miles west.