TEMPLE MOUNTAIN

An Old Uranium Mining Camp

May 9, 2003

Temple Mountain is located in the heart of Utah's uranium mining district. These days, uranium is not much in demand, and the towns and mining camps built to provide it have mostly been abandoned. Just after the turn of the 20th Century, uranium was discovered in this area and a small mining camp was built. After World War I, when cheap foreign sources became available, the buildings were abandoned. During the uranium boom of the 1950's the place was reoccupied and when the boom went bust in the 1960's the place was again left to nature.

Since then, the turn-of-the-century stone buildings have gradually decayed due to the combined effects of the elements and vandalism. I first came to this place around 1980 and I have returned many times since then. Each time I visit Temple Mountain, it seems like the largest stone building has fallen in a little more. The roof was mostly intact when I first visited, but now it is mostly gone. One day in the near future, the picturesque building will likely be nothing more than a pile of rocks.

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This is a picture of the large stone building taken in February 2000. The view inside through the door leads back to the outside - most of the roof and part of the wall are gone.


This is a smaller building on the site. It is still mostly intact despite the ravages of time.


A more distant view of the site, showing the wooden fences that have been built recently to help protect it


These two pictures of the large building were taken in 1989, when that building was in far better condition.

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