Bingham Canyon Visitor Center

This page last updated on January 17, 2012.

Although the Bingham Canyon open pit copper mine became a destination for tourists as soon as the county road in the canyon was paved, it was a place to see almost from its very first day.

The first steam shovels started the open pit copper mine in 1906, but the mines in the canyon were already well known by that time. The canyon was well into its boom times of mining activity when tragedy struck in late February 1907. A special train for Utah legislators was run into the canyon to give the men and some of their wives a special view of the developments in the canyon. The train was made up of a Copper Belt Shay locomotive and two flat cars with benches mounted to them, and was struck by a runaway ore car coming down from the Boston Consolidated mine. The collision knocked two men off of the car on which they were riding. Their injuries were fatal. (Deseret News, February 23, 1907; Ogden Standard, February 23, 1907; Salt Lake Herald, February 23, 1907, the Salt Lake Herald provided continuing coverage of the tragedy and the days after, since one of those fatally injured was its own reporter.)

In February 1911, a special train came to Bingham Canyon by way of Rio Grande's Highline branch into Cuprum Yard, continuing up the canyon to see the workings of the Utah copper mine. The occasion was the cross-country honeymoon trip, via private railroad train, celebrating the marriage of Vivien Gould and Major Jack Beresford (Lord Decies). The private train consisted of D&RGW locomotive and two passenger cars; a combination baggage and staff car, and business car No. 2 of the Missouri Pacific Railroad. Ms. Gould was the daughter of New York financier George Gould, who controlled the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, was well and the Missouri Pacific Railroad and the Western Pacific Railway. Photographs indicate that the members of the party were very much out of place, and not among their usual high society surroundings.

As for visitors getting there in their automobiles, the Bingham canyon open pit copper mine became a destination for tourists during the 1930s, after the county road in the canyon was paved. The first visitor observation center for the public to view the mine was built in 1942 and was located in Upper Bingham (Copperfield) at the upper end of the vehicular tunnel completed in 1939. The observation point was reached by way of the vehicular tunnel from Bingham, which curved into the mountain to avoid the slowly expanding pit operations. The observation center at Copperfield was closed in October 1956, as was the vehicular tunnel between Bingham and Copperfield.

During 1955, Malcolm (Scotty) Robertson, a retired Kennecott track worker, provided commentary to the 100,000 visitors to the mine. (Deseret News, December 14, 1955)

In May 1957, a new location was completed on the north side of the mine, near the site of the Apex Yards, at the east end of the recently dismantled D-Dump Line bridge. This new observation center included a paved parking lot, rest rooms and a "sloped floor" at the observation deck to allow visitors unobstructed views when there were large numbers of visitors. The new shelter was 100 feet long and 18 feet wide, and was located right adjacent to the D-Dump rail line. By August 1957, over 60,000 visitors had been to the new location. (Murray Eagle, July 4, 1957; Deseret News, August 9, 1957)

In 1959, Tooele County carved out a parking space and view area at the top of Sunset Peak, to allow visitors to view the Bingham mine from the high point on the southwest edge. In 1964, the Utah National Guard built a road up Butterfield Canyon to connect with the road from the Tooele side. (Deseret News, April 30, 1984, "Twenty five years ago" and "five years later")

1966
The visitor observation center was moved again in June 1966, to a site adjacent to the D-Line, at a reported cost of $100,000.

July 1967
The Bingham Canyon visitor center reopened on July 2, 1967 after a slide closed part of the parking lot and walking path on June 19th. (Davis County Clipper, July 7, 1967)

1978
Kennecott announced in February 1978 that the north rim location for the observation center was to be closed at the end of the 1978 season, with Kennecott stating that if a new visitor observation center was to be built, it would be done by either state or local government. At the same time, the House of Copper in Copperton was closed, after being in the same location since 1961. A small museum was located inside the store, which would remain open to sell clothing and convenience items. The House of Copper sold items made of copper, and was to re-open at a new location at Heritage Square, at Sixth South and West Temple in Salt Lake City. (Deseret News, August 9, 1978) There were discussions of the state funding the improvement of the existing road to the top of Sunset Peak, which overlooks the open pit mine from the southwest side. The existing road is accessed from both Tooele and from Butterfield Canyon. (Deseret News, February 28, 1978; June 3, 1978; September 7, 1978)

Fall 1983
"The visitors center at Kennecott's open pit copper mine was closed indefinately last fall." (Deseret News, April 30, 1984)

1988
An all-new visitor observation center was completed in 1988 at a new location on the northeast side of the pit. The new site included a separate formal visitor center along with a large tire from one of the mining trucks. (Deseret News, April 12, 1993)

April 1988
The visitor observation center opened for the season on April 1, 1988. The news item does not mention whether of not the location is new or remodeled, but does mention that a big tire is now part of the exhibit. (Deseret News, March 28, 1988)

January 1989
In January 1989, the company announced that the $14,000 collected as an entry fee since August 15, 1988, when the practice was started, would be donated to local charities, as would all fees collected in the future. (Deseret News, August 11, 1988; January 2, 1989)

Throughout the years, the visitor observation center was open for six to seven months out of the year, between late March or early April and late October, depending on the weather and the amount of snow on the ground needing to be cleared to provide access.

August 1991
In a "What To Do This Weekend" feature, the visitor observation center was mentioned as still being located in Bingham Canyon, with access by way of continuing west from Copperton. (Deseret News, August 21, 1991)

Access to the existing visitor observation center was changed during the winter of 1991-1992. A new access road was constructed that climbed from the old location of the Lark townsite, climbing northward from a new entry gate, up and across the face of the waste dumping area to an expanded parking lot.

1992
As part of a $900 million modernization program that included updates to the Garfield smelter and refinery, Utah Route 48, the state road in Bingham Canyon, was decommissioned and abandoned; the roadway and right-of-way west of the low point at Copperton became private property of Kennecott.

April 27, 1992
Kennecott held a formal opening of a new visitor center at the mine observation area. The ceremony was attended by Governor Bangerter and by Frank Joklik, Kennecott president. The visitor center featured a video and other displays that told of the mine's history and its operations. (Deseret News, April 29, 1992)

April 1993
Since 1988, more than $200,000 has been donated to 70 local charities. (Deseret News, April 12, 1993)

May 1996
The visitors center at the Bingham Canyon observation point was enlarged by 1,600 square feet and 12 new exhibits and a theater were added. Over 176,000 visitors viewed the Bingham mine during 1996. (Deseret News, May 18, 1996; April 1, 1997)

1998
There were over 180,000 visitors to Kennecott's open pit mine during 1998. All fees collected, $3 for cars and $30 for large buses, were donated to local charities; a total of $104,500 was collected during 1998. (Deseret News, April 5, 1999)

April 2006
Kennecott reopened its Bingham Canyon visitors center in a new location. The visitors center was moved, remodeled and enlarged and relocated to a new site within the mine. The building was reported as having a new exterior and several energy savings improvements. (Kennecott 2005 Sustainable Development Report)

January 2008
"The Kennecott Utah Copper Visitors Center Charitable Foundation donated $130,000 to 95 local community charities in December. The foundation is organized as a Kennecott nonprofit entity giving funds exclusively for public welfare, community improvement and charitable purposes, which is limited to providing help to the underprivileged." "The foundation raises money for local charities through tax-deductible entrance fees to the Bingham Canyon Mine Visitors Center. In 2007, the center hosted 169,945 visitors, an increase of about 21,092 from 2006, and raised more money than any other year in the foundation's history. Since the inception of the charity fund in 1992, the foundation has donated more than $2 million to local community charities and nonprofit organizations and hosted more than 2 million visitors to the center." "The foundation has given to charities focusing on children, veterans, disabled, homeless and senior citizens throughout the state. Donations were made to 26 senior centers, 24 human service organizations, five health organizations, and nine groups focusing on the disabled." (Deseret News, January 13, 2008)

Historical Markers Database, Marker No. 1365, "The Town of Bingham Canyon."

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