Iron City - Southern Utah Ghost Town

Map of Iron City (or Iron Town)

USGS 7.5 Minute Series Map

Update October 5, 2005

I revisited Iron City in April of 2005 and a lot has changed. Numerous new construction projects are popping up all around the site of the old town. The projects are residential housing and I don't think this is good for the sake of Iron City. Having seasonal or permanent residents near the site may cause quicker deterioration of the site and may increase the chances of younger children playing in the area without giving the site proper respect.

The good news however is that the site has undergone some preservation work. Some paths/walkways have been more clearly defined, some plagues have been added and a brochure printed all of which I hope will help preserve the area (irresponsible kids and residents aside). I have scanned the brochure for visitors to read. It's into parts and they are over a megabyte each. Download them at your leisure. There is a form on one side of the brochure if you wish to make a donation to help preserve the site. I urge everyone to contribute - even a small amount will help.

Brochure of Old Iron Town

[Side 1] [Side 2]

Brief History

"Iron City began and ended as a cooperative Mormon enterprise, and though ultimately a failure, it represented an expenditure in labor and capital of hundreds of thousands of dollars. (Bate, 48)".

Iron City or "old Irontown" was the result of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints efforts to establish self-sufficiency for their "Kingdom" through agricultural and industrial ventures. Although LDS leader Brigham Young discouraged the "saints" efforts at mining precious metals, other metals and ores such as iron were encouraged because such industrial ores could be put to direct use for the Mormon settlers.

The need for iron was great. Horse shoes, wire, nails, etc, etc. were all items that were sorely needed and the best way to obtain these items would be for the Mormon pioneers to make them(thus self-sufficiency), instead of importing them from other states.

Iron deposits were found not far from Cedar City and thus the Iron Mission came into being. Settlers moved to the site which is now Parowan and established an agricultural community which would serve the towns which were to produce iron. Peter Shirts in 1868 discovered the site which would eventually become Iron City (founded 1869 - this is the date found on a sign at Iron City) and a group of the Parowan settlers moved to the new site.

The 1870 census recorded 19 households with a total of 97 people (Bate, 48). The town had a post office and in 1871 a 2,500 lbs capacity furnace was installed. In 1873 a blast furnace, air furnace, a pattern shop and other buildings could be added to Iron City's resume. The poplation eventually reached several hundred.

But Iron City suffered from the lack of capital and the lack of skilled workers, both of which had to be imported. Peak production did reach 5-7 tons of pig iron daily, but the amount of labor and capital expended in Iron City was a diminishing return, i.e. it wasn't worth it.

Iron City's death was in 1876. Prohibitive shipping costs, lack of capital, and lack of a skilled labor force put nails in Iron City's coffin. It didn't help that the Iron City was just one of several efforts to produce iron. Division of resources and interest didn't help Iron City's precarious position.

Today building foundations, a charcoal kiln and a furnance chimney still stand, although in less than perfect conditions. Nevertheless they make great subject matter for photographs.

Sources:

See reference section for bibliographic information.

Carr, Stephen L. The Historical Guide to Utah Ghost Towns (149-150).

Larson, Gustive O. "Bulwark of the Kingdom: Utah's Iron and Steel Industry" Utah Historical Quarterly Summer 1963, Volume 31, Number 3.

Bate, Karry William "Iron City, Mormon Mining Town" Utah Historical Quarterly Winter 1982, Volume 50, Number 1.

Pictures

Click on the thumb nail for larger photo.

Views of the remaining brick structures in Iron City.

More views of Iron City

A very much intact charcoal kiln (minus the doors).

Utah Ghost Towns and Mining Camps

All photos and graphics (unless noted otherwise)

Created in 800X600 resolution.