Park City
Historical Background

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Mining Roots

Although it is one of the few cities in Utah not associated with Mormonism, even Park City has been influenced by Brigham Young's flock. In this case, the mining boom that was occurring in other western states was delayed by a Mormon lack of interest in precious minerals. It wasn't until 1868 that valuable metals were found in the hills around what would become Park City. Soldiers from nearby areas in charge of protecting the mail route discovered the first bits of silver in October of 1868.

Called "Parley's Park City" in 1872, the name was soon shortened to its current name. The Flagstaff Mine was the first to export ore from the area, and the Ontario Mine was sold to George Hurst and partners for $27,000 and eventually made over $50 million. Over the next few decades, even as silver prices fluctuated, the town's population boomed and reached almost 10,000 in 1898. In June of that same year, a fire ravaged the city burning three quarters of the town and leaving many homeless.

The rich deposits allowed new companies to form until, all too soon, disaster struck again. In July of 1902, an explosion in the Daly West Mine caused by underground dynamite killed 34 men. This led to safety concerns causing a state law to be enacted forbidding the storage of large quantities of explosives underground. The health of miners was put at risk not only by dynamite, but also because of the nature of the job itself. After the Miners Hospital was built in 1904, 6,000 miners were treated for silicosis, caused by breathing in crystalline silica dust, in the first year.

Origins of Sporting & Prohibition

The winter sports aspect of Park City was integrally related to the mining community. It the late 19th century, miners used a form of snowshoe to get to the mines. But soon it expanded from merely a means of transport to a form of recreation. As World War I and other factors led to a depression in the mining industry, winter sports began to gain a hold in the area. Workers took mining trains to the top of hills and skied to the bottom.

Although Prohibition was in full effect throughout the 1920s and into the 1930s, getting alcohol in Park City was never a problem. In fact, it is said that in the 27 bars in Park City in 1921, all of them served alcohol.

Park City as a Destination

During the Great Depression, mining prices began to decrease and so did the mining industry in Park City. Skiing had begun to pick up in the late 1940s with the first lift at Snow Park (now Deer Valley Resort). But by the 1950s, Park City was described as a ghost town. Then came a federal loan from the Area Redevelopment Agency in 1963 which relaunched Park City into the winter sports scene. Using this loan, Treasure Mountain Resort was created. An instant success, almost 50,000 skiers visited Treasure Mountain Resort in its first year. In 1965, the Skier's Subway was introduced to add the mining flavor into the new skiing town. This lift allowed skiers to travel in a modified mining trolley underground and then climbed on a old mine elevator to get to the top of the mountain. However, skiers were unimpressed and it was too slow and soon closed.

In 1968, what is now known as The Canyons but what was originally called Park West Ski opened. In the 1970s, Park City made an effort to be known not only for great skiing, but also for the arts. Festivals, the Kimball Art Center, and a new public library all added to the atmosphere of change.

Deer Valley Resort, often named as one of the best ski resorts in the world, opened in 1981. That same year was the inception of the festival that has become the Sundance Film Festival. Major ski competitions began to use the area after a North American record was set for spectators during the 1985 World Cup ski race in the area. Salt Lake City hosted the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. Over 40% of the events were held in the area surrounding Park City and it cemented its worldwide recognition as a top class ski resort.

Today, Park City is a haven for both sports and the arts. Historic Main Street is a picturesque area of town has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the Sundance Film Festival is one of the most well respected and recognized film festival worldwide, and Park City continues to be a world class skiing, snowboarding, and general sporting destination in both the winter and summer months.