Utah Fuels the West
Utah's coal industry and the railroads that served it
This page was last updated on January 6, 2008.
This information is in the form of expanded research notes, and exists as a first draft of an as-yet incomplete research project.
(A special note of thanks to Mark Hemphill for his research assistance and enthusiasm in the early years of this project.)
Overview
Location and Regional Histories
Utah Railway Mines
Additional Sources:
- Utah Geological Survey Coal page — An index page for coal information at the State of Utah's Division of Natural Resources.
- Utah Geological Survey Coal Data — A separate page of coal data at the State of Utah's Division of Natural Resources.
Overview
Introduction — General information and background for Utah's coal industry.
Early Coal Discoveries — Information about Utah's early coal mines from the 1840s to the late 1890s, including the early mines in Coalville, San Pete, and the original Winter Quarters mine. Also includes information about the formation of the Price and Helper town sites and Pleasant Valley Coal Co.
Miscellaneous Utah Coal Information - Information about non-railroad coal mines and proposed railroads, including the Southern Utah Fuel (SUFCO) mine in Salina Canyon.
Utah's Coal Companies — An alphabetical listing of known coal companies in Utah (both retail and wholesale companies), along with the coal mines and their locations. Both railroad and wagon/truck mines are included.
Utah Coal Since 1960 — Information about coal mining in Utah since 1960. (under construction)
Location and Regional Histories
(Following entries sorted alphabetically)
Carbon County Newspapers 1904-1946 — an index of research in the various newspapers of Carbon County, including entries from the University of Utah Special Collections Coal Index, compiled by Floyd A. O'Neil and his staff at the university's American West Center.
Carbon County Railway Mines - Information about the Columbia Steel mines at Columbia and Horse Canyon, including Carbon County Railway.
Castle Gate Mines — Information about the coal mines in the area of Castle Gate, including the Willow Creek, Panther, New Peerless, Rolapp, Cameron, and Hardscrabble mines.
Coalville-Grass Creek — Information about the coal mines in the Coalville and Grass Creek areas in northern Utah, served by Union Pacific.
Summit County Courthouse Information — Information about Summit County coal mines from research in the Summit County courthouse.
Deserado Coal Mine — Information about the Deserado coal mine in western Colorado that furnishes coal to the Bonanza Power Station in eastern Utah. The coal is transported via the Deseret Railway, formerly known as the Deseret Western Railway.
Intermountain Power Project — Information about the history and organization of the Intermountain Power Agency and its Intermountain Power Project power plant near Delta, Utah, and its rail operations.
Kennilworth Mines — Information about the mines at Kennilworth mines served by Kenilworth & Helper Railway and D&RGW.
Pleasant Valley Coal Mines — Information about the coal mines in Pleasant Valley, including Scofield, Winter Quarters, and Clear Creek, also the later Skyline Mine, served by D&RGW.
Sego Mine - Information about the Sego Mine at Ballard in eastern Utah, served by Ballard & Thompson Railroad and D&RGW.
Spring Canyon Mines — Information about the mines in Spring Canyon, served by D&RGW and Utah Terminal Railway (later Utah Railway).
Sunnyside Mines — Information about the mines at Sunnyside, served by D&RGW.
Utah Railway Mines
The history of Utah Railway before 1960 is closely tied to the history of the coal mines that the railroad served. Below are histories of those coal mines, with Utah Railway information included concurrent with mine information.
Before Utah Railway — The years of joint operation (1910-1917) by Southern Utah Railroad and Castle Valley Railway of the rail line between Hiawatha and Price.
Blackhawk Mine — Information about the Blackhawk Coal Co. mine at Blackhawk, later known as Hiawatha or King Mine, served by Utah Railway.
Gordon Creek Canyon — The coal mines in Gordon Creek canyon, and the railroad that served them, originally known as the National Coal Railway (later Utah Railway).
Hiawatha Mines — Information about the mines in Miller Creek Canyon, including the original Consolidated Fuel mine at East Hiawatha or Old Hiawatha, and Southern Utah Railroad.
Mohrland Mine — Information about the mines in Cedar Creek Canyon, including the original Castle Valley Coal Co. mine at Mohrland, and Castle Valley Railway (later Utah Railway).
Panther — The coal mine at Panther, near Castle Gate.
Spring Canyon — The coal mines in Spring Creek Canyon, and the railroads that served them (Utah terminal Railway, later Utah Railway).
U. S. Fuel — Information about the mines of United States Fuel Company, served by Utah Railway after 1914.
Wattis Mine — Information about the Lion Coal Co. mine at Wattis, served by Utah Railway.
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