Ophir

Ophir Utah is a small semi ghost town just off highway 73. The Ophir Hill mine has many artifacts that have been removed from the mine and placed outside. It makes for a good tourist destination. The land owners do not take lightly finding people on their property without permission; if traveling through the area, please respect any Private Property and No Trespassing signs.

History

"This was the typical mining town - saloons, gambling and dance halls, red-light houses, hotels [The Pioneer, built 1870], cafes, stores, and living quarters" (Carr, 20).

Named after the King Solomon's (of the Bible) mines, Ophir got its start from army men looking for mineral wealth. General Patrick Connor and his troops made some of the first claims in the area which would become Ophir in 1865. The Ophir mining district was organized in 1870 and by 1871 more than 2,500 mining claims had been staked with the town population reaching 1,200 (Thompson, 17).

Mine Closures

In late 2007, all of the mines in the Ophir area were gated by the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Oil, Gas, and Mining. Many attempts have been used by the property owners and other to remove these illegally placed gates. When speaking to a representative about the removal of these gates, it was stated that nothing could be or would be done to stop the removal; somewhere along the lines, eventually another gate might by put back up.

Requirements

4x4 vehicle is exploring outside of city Mine Exploration Gear Mine Gate Removal Gear for mines outside of town.

Ophir, Utah in winter.

History

Ophir was named for the nearby canyon and mining district. The mining district was named for the biblical Ophir, from where Solomon|King Solomon brought back gold to Israel.

Forum Link

http://www.mojaveunderground.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=44

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 23 people, 10 households, and 6 families residing in the town. The population density was 143.0 people per square mile (55.5/km²). There were 33 housing units at an average density of 205.1/sq mi (79.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.65% White and 4.35% Asian.

There were 10 households out of which 20.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.0% were married couples living together, and 40.0% were non-families. 40.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the town the population was spread out with 8.7% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 8.7% from 25 to 44, 43.5% from 45 to 64, and 30.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 54 years. For every 100 females there were 109.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $50,000, and the median income for a family was $49,167. Males had a median income of $46,875 versus $13,750 for females. The per capita income for the town was $29,906. None of the population or families were below the poverty line.

Location

40.369102, -112.258534

References

Carr, Stephen L. The Historical Guide to Utah Ghost Towns

Carter, Kate B. Our Pioneer Heritage Vol 14. Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1971 Salt Lake City, Utah

Thompson, George A. Some Dreams Die: Utah's Ghost Towns and Lost Treasures

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