Standardville | |
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![]() The coal storage unit in Standardville | |
Coordinates: 39°42′00″N110°56′01″W / 39.70000°N 110.93361°W Coordinates: 39°42′00″N110°56′01″W / 39.70000°N 110.93361°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Utah |
County | Carbon |
Founded | 1912 |
Abandoned | 1970s |
Named for | The "standard" for all mining towns to follow |
Elevation | 6,739 ft (2,054 m) |
GNIS feature ID | 1437692 [1] |
Standardville is a ghost town in Carbon County, Utah, United States. Standardville was established after coal was discovered in the area in 1912. The layout of the town was so well-planned, it became the "standard" for all mining towns to follow, which resulted in the town name of Standardville. In 1922, a group of striking miners killed a mine guard and wounded two miners before escaping. In 1930, 20 miners were killed in a mine explosion caused by carbon monoxide gas. In 1950, the mine shut down and people began to relocate elsewhere. A couple families remained until the 1970s, after which Standardville was abandoned.
The town was established after coal was discovered in Spring Canyon in 1912. The town layout was planned with well maintained lawns, bushes, and poplar trees. This became the "standard" for coal mining towns in Spring Canyon, and the town was named Standardville. [2] As Standardville's population increased, a company store, several apartments, a butcher shop, a barber shop, a hospital, a recreation hall, tennis courts, and an elementary school were constructed. At its peak, the population was about 550. [3] Although it was considered the standard for mining towns, Standardville still had problems with crime. On June 14, 1922, several miners went on strike and attacked a train carrying several new miners from both sides. The striking miners then fled and were pursued by mine guards. The shooting that occurred killed a mine guard and wounded two others. [4]
On February 6, 1930, an explosion caused by firedamp gas occurred in the Standard mine. Of the 29 miners that were working in the mine, 20 were immediately killed by the explosion. Rescue workers attempted to rescue the nine survivors, and while they were searching, a cave-in killed three of them. The nine survivors were able to escape. [5] The explosion had a large impact on the mine and community; however, the town continued to grow.
When World War II ended, the demand for coal decreased, and the mine was unable to meet its payroll as a result. In an attempt to save the mine, miners worked only for food. This attempt was unsuccessful, and the mine went bankrupt and was foreclosed on. Another coal mining company bought it, and shipments continued a couple months later. By 1948, the mine was being operated by the Spring Canyon Coal Company; however, in 1950, the mine was closed. As miners moved away, shops, the hospital, and the school were closed. Despite this, two families continued to live in the town until the 1970s. [3]
The coal tipple has deteriorated, leaving behind the coal storage unit. Numerous foundations can be found. At the top of the hill lies the bath house, where miners bathed and changed clothes. Remains of the Standard Mine can be found beyond the bath house. Railroad tracks that were once the property of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad end in town. Due to its proximity to the road, many of the remnants have graffiti. The town is now fenced off and posted as private property, but most of the ruins can be seen from the road.
Historical population | |||
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Census | Pop. | %± | |
1930 | 506 | — | |
1940 | 532 | 5.1% | |
[6] [ failed verification ] |
Standardville was included in the United States Census twice. The Census of 1930 showed 506 people living in town. By 1940, Standardville's population had increased to 532. By 1950, Standardville's population had dropped considerably enough to not be included in that year's census.
Helper is a city in Carbon County, Utah, United States, approximately 110 miles (180 km) southeast of Salt Lake City and 7 miles (11 km) northwest of the city of Price. It is known as the "Hub of Carbon County". The population was 2,201 at the 2010 census.
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Royal is a ghost town that existed in the early 1900s as a small coal mining town in Carbon County, Utah, United States. Originally called Bear Canyon, the town was renamed Cameron, Rolapp, and finally Royal when the Royal Coal Company purchased it, changing names each time a new owner took over. All that remains of Royal today are some stone walls, a couple of the mines, and a miner's dwelling. These remnants can be seen in Price Canyon.
The Castle Gate mine disaster occurred on March 8, 1924, in a coal mine near the town of Castle Gate, Utah, located approximately 90 miles southeast of Salt Lake City. All of the 171 men working in the mine were killed in the series of three violent explosions. One worker, the leader of the rescue crew, died from carbon monoxide inhalation while attempting to reach the victims shortly after the explosion.
Castle Gate is a ghost town located in Carbon County in eastern Utah, United States. Castle Gate was a mining town approximately 90 miles (140 km) southeast of Salt Lake City. The name of the town was derived from a rock formation near the mouth of Price Canyon. This formation features two sheer sandstone walls on either side of the Price River, which appear to open like a giant gate as travelers approach this narrow section of the canyon.
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Connellsville is a ghost town located high in the mountains of Coal Canyon, near the head of Huntington Canyon in the northwestern corner of Emery County, Utah, United States. A coal mining and coke manufacturing center, Connellsville was the first settlement in what is now Emery County, inhabited from 1874 to 1878. The town now lies beneath the waters of Electric Lake.
Sego is a ghost town in Grand County, Utah, United States. It lies in the narrow, winding Sego Canyon, in the Book Cliffs some 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Thompson Springs. Formerly an important eastern Utah coal mining town, Sego was inhabited about 1910–1955. The town is accessed via the grade of the Ballard & Thompson Railroad, a spur from the Denver and Rio Grande Western built by the founders of the town to transport the coal.
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Winter Quarters is a ghost town in Carbon County, Utah, United States. Coal was discovered in the area in 1875, and later that year, the Pleasant Valley Coal Company began coal mining operations. A group of coal miners were delayed during an early winter storm in 1877, which led to the town's name of Winter Quarters. On May 1, 1900, an explosion in the Winter Quarters Number Four mine killed 200 miners. Despite the mine explosion, the coal mining operations remained active until 1922, when the opening of a new mine in Castle Gate caused many people to relocate there. By 1930, Winter Quarters was abandoned.
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