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SALT LAKE CITY — For those looking to get out of the house for a few hours on a weekend or a day off, Utah boasts a host of easy-to-access historical sites for the casual explorer.
Local day trips are a great way to stretch cramped winter legs and open bleary eyes that have spent too many hours indoors watching *insert latest Netflix tv release here*. For those living in major metropolitan areas of Utah up and down I-15, a quick day trip to a historic site may be just what the winter blues ordered.
Pack a picnic, don a parka, grab the kids and plan an excursion that will both entertain and educate. Here’s a list to get you started.
For those who may have slept through 8th grade Utah Studies, Promontory Summit (also known as Promontory Point and Gold Spike) is the area where the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads met up in May of 1869. The two rail companies had been working furiously to join lines, completing the First Transcontinental Railroad on May 10.
Now Promontory Summit is home to a visitors center and an engine house, along with a reenactment of the meeting of the two locomotives May through September. Visitors can take advantage of driving audio tours of the area or one of the many walking trails that cut through the historic points of interest.
The John Jarvie Ranch is a comprehensive historic experience, complete with seasonal activities for visitors young and old, as well as a few options for those seeking high adventure.
John Jarvie moved from Scotland to the banks of the Green River in 1880, near the modern-day town of Vernal. Jarvie established a successful ranch with his wife Nellie; the two lived initially in a stone house dugout of the side of a hill and later owned an operated a general store.
Visitors can participate in historic demonstrations and walk the grounds of the ranch. For those looking for a little more excitement, outfitters launch off near the ranch on fishing trips down the Green River during the warmer months.
Camp Floyd was a short-lived but bustling outpost for Johnston’s Army from 1858-1859. The city of Fairfield sprung up a little before the camp, around 1855.
Today, visitors can tour the original Stagecoach Inn situated across the street from the Camp Floyd museum. A large park sits adjacent to the inn and makes for a lovely locale for a picnic, even in the colder months.
No trip to Camp Floyd would be complete without a stop off at the Camp Floyd Cemetery. The graveyard is home to years of mystery and debate circulating around who actually occupies the plots noted by flat markers. A large monument to the soldiers of Johnston’s Army explains a little about whose remains might reside under the sage bushes.
For those who are interested in time travel, but haven’t been able to get the Delorean up and running, visiting the small post-mining town of Eureka is as good as it gets.
Eureka was settled by gold and silver miners and eventually incorporated as a city in 1892. Part of the Tintic Mining District, Eureka soon became a hub for commercial and residential business. During the mid 20th century, Eureka’s prowess as a financial center waned as mining became less lucrative and larger cities along the wasatch front grew.
Today Eureka is home to a little over 750 residents. For visitors looking to explore Eureka, a walk down the city’s Main Street is enough to fill a few hours of adventuring. Save a few open businesses, most of the store fronts are abandoned and dilapidated.
A peek inside the windows reveals troves of antiques and rusted machinery parts, left to the elements. Many roofs have caved in and walls have fallen down, making it akin to peering in the world’s greatest candy store for early 20th century antiquity buffs.
A small museum stands at the east end of Main Street, dedicated to the bustling days of the Tintic Mining Era. For those with children, an old boxcar is open for exploration across the street from the museum (or for adults who just love a good boxcar).
One word of caution: much of the city’s center, while amazing to look at, is in disrepair and unstable structurally. Locals warn against venturing into abandoned buildings, first out of safety, and second out of legal consideration to private property and trespassing laws.
No survey of Utah history would be complete without a visit to an early Mormon pioneer landmark. Cove Fort is one of the best, as its original structures have been preserved impeccably, and the site is home to tour guides who are always at the ready to direct history seekers to points of interest.
Cove Fort was built in 1867 and originally inhabited by the Ira Hinckley family. Hinckley was the paternal grandfather of late president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Gordon B. Hinkley. While it was constructed after the manner of similar military forts, Cove Fort was used primarily as an outpost for travelers moving up and down the central Utah corridor.
The fort enjoyed heavy use from its construction until around the turn of the 19th century. The LDS church bought back the property in 1989 after it was sold in the 1920s. It now serves as a monument to early pioneer industry and economy. Visitors can take tours through the main buildings and stables and experience the fort as it might have felt back in the 1800’s.
