Park City History Timeline
Prospectors discovered silver in 1868 in the area that soon after became Park City. Mine owners made fortunes, while thousands of miners simply made a living. After silver prices declined, Park City reinvented itself as a ski resort town. Discover more of our town's unique history in our timeline.
Utah before Park City
1600 A.D.
Indian bands travel the high alpine valleys in search of game.
1847
Brigham Young and the Mormon settlers pass near the north end of this valley on their way to Salt Lake.
1850
Parley Pratt’s toll road leads from Parley’s Park (present Kimball Junction) westerly into the Salt Lake Valley collecting $1,500 from travelers en route to the California gold fields.
1862
Brigham Young‘s “City by the Salt Lake” is booming and federal troops from California under Colonel Patrick Connor are sent to guard the US. Mail and watch over the “Saints,” who might side with the Confederacy in the Civil War. Figuring that a valuable mineral strike would bring in outsiders and dilute the Mormon population, Col. Connor sends soldiers out prospecting.
Silver discovery draws a crowd
1868
In late October, soldiers climb over the mountains from Big Cottonwood Canyon to Park City area and find silver. As the snow is swirling and a storm brewing, they mark the outcropping with a bandanna and return in the spring. Naming the claim Flagstaff; it is later the first mine to ship ore from the area. Park City will eventually become known not only for its silver, but for lead, zinc and gold.
1869
The Transcontinental Railroad is completed at Promontory, Utah. Laid-off workers, including many Chinese, settle in Parley‘s Park.
1870
Parley’s Park has a total population of 164.
1872
George and Rhoda Snyder name the area Parley’s Park City, soon shortened to Park City. Exceedingly rich silver ore (400 ounces to the ton) is discovered by prospectors from Canada who name the claim Ontario. George Hearst, the father of William Randolph Hearst, and partners buy the Ontario for $27,000. It will produce over $50 million in its lifetime.
1875
A free public school is established.
1880
The first issue of The Park Record comes off the press. Today it is the oldest continuously published newspaper in Utah, with new issues released every Wednesday and Saturday.
Local business men and mine owners establish the Utah Eastern Railroad and construct a spur line from Echo to Park City. Service opens in December.
1881
Park City is the third city in Utah to receive telephone service. St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church is built.
Water in the mines is a continuing problem despite numerous underground pumps. To deal with the continuing problem of flooding and excess water in the mines, the Cornish Pump, a machine 30-feet-high with a 70-ton flywheel, is imported from Philadelphia. It pumped over 4 million gallons of water a day from 1,000 feet beneath the surface of the Ontario Mine. Later, drain tunnels will replace pumps.
1882
Other discoveries of silver occur and more mines are established. Among the larger ones are the Crescent, the Anchor and the Mayflower.
Park City becomes official
1884
Park City is incorporated, and City Hall is under construction (to be finished in 1885).
1889
The town‘s population is over 5,000. The city is one of the first in the state to install electric lights.
1892
Silver King Mine is incorporated. It will prove to be one of Park City‘s largest producers of silver.
1893
The US government ends the silver standard, no longer using silver to back paper currency, and silver prices plummet. Miners at the Silver King accept a pay cut from $1 to 50 cents, allowing the mine to continue operations while others remained closed.
1894
Utah‘s “Silver Queen,” Susanna Bransford Emery Holmes, is making $1,000 a day from her interest in the Silver King Mine.
1896
On statehood day, January 5, Park City has a population over 7,000.
Trial by Fire
1898
Park City approaches a population of 8,000. In June, 200 of the town’s 350 structures, homes and businesses burn in the worst fire Park City has ever seen. The fire left 500 homeless and caused $1 million in property damage. The Spanish-American War forces the price of silver to rise and seventeen volunteers from Park City leave to serve as soldiers.
1899
George Wanning’s saloon is the first to be rebuilt after the Great Fire. Many new buildings are constructed with brick and stone to withstand future fires. Within just eighteen months, Park City has risen from the ashes and is completely rebuilt.
1901
Silver King aerial tramway is completed replacing the precarious narrow gauge Crescent Tramway railroad through the canyon. The tramway lowers transportation costs from $1.50 per ton of ore to 22-cents per ton.
1902
On July 15, 34 men from the Daly West and Ontario mines die in the explosion of a large underground store of dynamite. Considered the worst mine disaster in Park City history, the event prompts a state law banning underground storage of large amounts of explosives.
1904
The Miners Hospital is built for the sum of $5,000 raised by local businessmen and the Western Federation of Miners Local #144. It serves as the city’s first hospital and only emergency medical facility.
1906
As some of the first skiers in the area, “Bud” Wright and Fred Hauder spend their winters on skis around Park City, Brighton and Alta, Wright as a lineman for the telephone company and Hauder delivering mail.
1907
Hard-times befall the town, with cave—ins and flooded tunnels making mining a poor enterprise. The Panic of 1907 affects the entire United States, causing a general recession.
1916
Heavy snows cause fatal snowslides and the collapse of the famed Dewey Theatre (where the Mary G. Steiner Egyptian Theatre now stands) just hours after 300 patrons had departed after watching the evening movie.
The Great Experiment
1917
Prohibition of liquor, called the “Great Experiment,” begins in Utah, two years before the 18th Amendment is ratified nationwide. Bootleggers abound since alcohol is available in Wyoming; stills and home-brewing are popular.
1918
The great influenza epidemic prompts a law in Park City requiring anyone on the streets to wear a thick gauze mask or be arrested. Schools and public gathering spaces are closed for months. 1919 Labor unrest and union disputes force a shut down as miners walk off the job in protest of wage cuts. Mine owners refuse to negotiate their employees‘ demands, but miners go back to work after six weeks on strike.
1919
Labor unrest and union disputes force a shut down as miners walk off the job in protest of wage cuts. Mine owners refuse to negotiate their employees‘ demands, but miners go back to work after six weeks on strike.
1921
There are 27 bars, officially known as “soft drink parlors” in Park City and, despite Prohibition, a thirsty soul could buy a drink in all but one of them. Prohibition continues through 1932.
1929
The stock market crashes. Silver King stock plummets from $12.87 to $6.50 in one year; Park Consolidated from $2 to 27 cents.
Skiing starts with a jump
1931
Alf Engen sets a ski jump world record at Ecker Hill, built in 1928, by jumping 247 feet. In all, Engen sets five world records at Ecker Hill.
1936
The town’s first Winter Carnival is a success at the Civilian Conservation Core's newly cut ski runs in Deer Valley. More than 500 skiers arrive in Park City on the “ski train,“ a four-hour journey from Salt Lake City.
1941
On December 7'“ Pearl Harbor is attacked and the US enters WWII. Gas rationing prohibits spectators' travel to Ecker Hill.
1946
The first lift goes in at Snow Park (now Deer Valley Resort). Mineral prices plunge.
1949
By July 1, all mines have shut down, putting 1,100 miners out of work throughout Wasatch, Summit, and Daggett counties.
1951
Park City is increasingly referred to as a “ghost town” throughout Utah and the American West. There are 1,150 “ghosts” left in town at this time.
1953
Park Utah Consolidated and Silver King merge to form United Park City Mines Company, but Park City‘s population continues to plummet and businesses close.
1955
The red light district is raided. By 1956, the days of the “giddy girls” are over and the last parlor has closed its doors.
Skiing gives town a lift
1958
United Park City Mines looks to diversify and starts a feasibility study to begin the Treasure Mountain Resort (now Park City Mountain Resort).
1963
Park City qualifies for a federal loan from the Area Redevelopment Agency. The government provides $1.25 million for use in starting a new ski area. North America's longest gondola, a chairlift, and 2 J-bars are installed. Day lift passes costs $3.50 and there are almost 50,000 skier days that first year.
1965
A mine train takes skiers into the Spiro tunnel, a mine drain tunnel, then up a shaft to high in the mountains, but the 45 minute trip proves too slow, cold and wet to be very popular. As word of the new ski area spreads, people start moving to Park City.
1968
Park City West Ski Area (later Park West, Wolf Mountain, The Canyons and now the Canyons Village area) opens.
Art hits Main Street
1970
First Park City Art Festival debuts on Main Street.
1976
Kimball Art Center, in the old Eley Garage at 638 Main Street, opens its doors with two galleries, a gift shop and classrooms.
1979
The Miners Hospital, threatened with demolition, is moved from its site near the base of the Park City Ski Area to City Park for historic preservation.
1980
KPCW, Summit County‘s public radio, goes on the air.
1981
Deer Valley Resort opens at the site of the old Snow Park area (which closed in 1969).
The United States Film and Video Festival (destined to become the Sundance Film Festival), highlighting independent films, opens in January for the first season in Park City.
In July, the historic Silver King Coalition Mine building, an iconic site on Park City’s skyline, is completely destroyed by fire.
1982
After extensive renovation on the old Miners Hospital, a human chain forms a “book brigade" to move 2,000 books from the original library on Main Street to the new public library housed in the old hospital.
For the first time in over 100 years, Park City is without a working mine. Today, a skeleton crew still performs routine maintenance, especially on the drain tunnels that now provide drinking water for Park City residents.
1987
Park City Television begins broadcasting.
1990
Park City Municipal purchases the historic McPolin farm from the Osguthorpe family for $4.4 million.
1993
Parkites witness the heaviest snowfall in 10 years. The public library moves from the Miners Hospital into the old high school at 1255 Park Ave. The Utah Winter Sports Park opens.
1995
Salt Lake City is awarded the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. More than 40% of the events will be held in Park City at Utah Olympic Park, Deer Valley Resort, and Park City Mountain Resort.
1997
Wolf Mountain, formerly Park West, is renamed The Canyons, and opens for its 28th season. Bear Hollow makes history with the Olympic bob and luge track opening at the Winter Sports Park.
1998
Park City Mountain Resort retires its venerable gondola, replacing it with two high-speed chairlifts.
1999
President Bill Clinton strolls Main Street visiting with residents and merchants while on a family ski holiday in Park City.
2002
Park City is the site of multiple events for the XIX Winter Olympic Games. Deer Valley hosts slalom, freestyle moguls, and aerials; Utah Olympic Park holds bobsleigh, luge, skeleton, Nordic combined and ski jumping events; Park City Mountain Resort hosts giant slalom, snowboard GS, and half pipe events.
2006
Ted Ligety, native of Park City, wins gold in the men’s combined alpine skiing event at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy.
2009
After raising nearly $9 million dollars, the expanded Park City Museum reopens with national acclaim.
2015
After its acquisition of the Park City Mountain Resort from Powdr Corp. in 2014, Vail Resorts connects PCMR and Canyons via the Quicksilver Gondola to open North America’s largest ski resort.
Millenial Park City
1995
Salt Lake City is awarded the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. More than 40% of the events will be held in Park City at Utah Olympic Park, Deer Valley Resort, and Park City Mountain Resort.
1997
Wolf Mountain, formerly Park West, is renamed The Canyons, and opens for its 28th season. Bear Hollow makes history with the Olympic bob and luge track opening at the Winter Sports Park.
1998
Park City Mountain Resort retires its venerable gondola, replacing it with two high-speed chairlifts.
1999
President Bill Clinton strolls Main Street visiting with residents and merchants while on a family ski holiday in Park City.
2002
Park City is the site of multiple events for the XIX Winter Olympic Games. Deer Valley hosts slalom, freestyle moguls, and aerials; Utah Olympic Park holds bobsleigh, luge, skeleton, Nordic combined and ski jumping events; Park City Mountain Resort hosts giant slalom, snowboard GS, and half pipe events.
2006
Ted Ligety, native of Park City, wins gold in the men’s combined alpine skiing event at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy.
2009
After raising nearly $9 million dollars, the expanded Park City Museum reopens with national acclaim.
2015
After its acquisition of the Park City Mountain Resort from Powdr Corp. in 2014, Vail Resorts connects PCMR and Canyons via the Quicksilver Gondola to open North America’s largest ski resort.