Silver Reef, Utah

SILVER REEF, UTAH

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Located in Washington County, 1.5 miles west of Leeds, which is along I-15 at EXIT 22, 15 miles north of St. George.

In 1866, silver-bearing sandstone was discovered on the east slope of the Pine Valley Mountains, but the first claims weren't actually worked until 1874. Word got out and a rush ensued. According to popular mining knowledge, silver isn't supposed to occur in sandstone, but somebody forgot to tell the outcroppings that.

By 1877, the town had over 100 businesses stretched out along a mile long main street. A racetrack, brewery and brass band were added attributes that many mining towns didn't have. In 1879, 2000 citizens were counted, but that year a major fire swept through town, silver prices dropped, labor disputes cropped up and water flooded the lower working levels in the mines.

By 1890, only 177 people remained, and in the early 1900s many of the remaining buildings were demolished. In 1908, fire destroyed almost all that remained. A few people remained behind, one of whom lived in the old dressed stone Wells Fargo & Co Express building until the late 1940s.

Today, a number of summer cabins or "rural retreat" homes lie just north of the townsite. Silver Reef still has about 10 visible ruins, including the picturesque hulk of the 1876 John Rice Bank Building. A museum is housed in the restored Wells Fargo & Co. Express building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1990, the south half of the building housed the art gallery and studio for Western artist Jerry Anderson, and the north half a museum for Silver Reef history.

The formerly mile-long main street has been reduced to several hundred yards, and a paved parking area extends between the Rice Bank and Wells Fargo buildings. The town is decorated with cottonwoods and desert scrub.

The Rice building is made of mortared adobe brick, and was a two-story structure with a full basement, wooden floors, and sometime before 1990 was been burned. In 1990 it was scheduled for restoration at a future date, but I don't know if that dream is still alive.

About 150 feet north of the Wells Fargo building is the rock-walled ruins of what once was the Chinese Saloon and Drug, as well as the Leopold Goldberg Store. They face onto Main Street, and were located between the cross streets of Barbee and Center Streets.

Between these ruins and the Wells Fargo building, the gully holds the ruins of several other structures, such as the Clancy Market, McCormick Store, and the two story Harrison House (hotel), which fronted onto Center Street, which has long since disappeared. Up the hill towards the mines is the rock walled remains of the Peter Harrison residence. (I identified these buildings off an 1876 plat map located in the museum.)

Silver Reef is a worthwhile stop if you are in the St. George area.

This was our GHOST TOWN OF THE MONTH for February 2000.

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FIRST POSTED: Feb 01, 2000

LAST UPDATED: Mar 20, 2005

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