“The year which will in a few hours vanish into the great past, and become but a memory, has been, when all’s considered one of prosperity and happiness.” Park Record December 31, 1904
For many, the end of a year and the beginning of another can mean so much. It can be a clean slate with the hope of future success or a continuation of blessings. No matter what, it is an event that holds importance and purpose to all. All cultures celebrate in their own unique ways, either with festivals, parties, dropping a ball or shooting off fireworks. Throughout history, celebrations have varied.
Articles published in the Park Record in the early 1900s advertised fraternal dinners, formal suppers held at local cafés and restaurants, and balls and dances with full bands. They also published pieces touting the past year’s mining production successes in order to inspire, provide a sense of pride and boost the morale of mine employees and their families.
The Park Record would take time at the end of each year to highlight the many achievements of the mines and the community as a whole. One such instance was on December 31st, 1904, exactly one hundred and ten years ago today. The newspaper gave a glowing description of the financially prosperous year for the mining companies as a whole. The article stated that the year’s ore shipments totaled 276,665,000 pounds, noting that the number was up from 1903’s 272,709,220 pounds.
Credit: Park City Historical Society & Museum, Thomas F. Hansen Collection
Never one to hold back on bragging, the Park Record emphasized the city’s importance by assuredly writing, “Always a banner mining camp of the state, and the source of the wealth of more millionaires than any other town of its size in the country, it has upheld well its wonderful record during the year just closing and the prospects for nineteen hundred and five are brighter and more promising than ever before.”
Today, Park City’s primary industry has changed drastically, but Parkites still enjoy celebrating the past year’s accomplishments and look forward to more successes in the coming year. While the skiing and tourist industry is a far cry from hard rock mining, both have made Park City what it is today, and without either it surely would have never existed nor survived.
The Park City Museum would like to thank the local community and all of its devoted members and visitors for a successful and prosperous 30th year! Without all the hard work of our volunteers, staff and board of directors we would have never made it this far. We wish you a Happy New Year!