Silver Reef
Only place silver found in sandstone
State: Utah
County: Washington County
Founded: 1866
Abandoned: 1901
Peak Population: 1,500
Silver Reef was the ONLY place in the world where silver was found in sandstone—a geological impossibility according to the science of the time. At peak, 1,500 residents extracted $10 million in silver from red sandstone. When silver prices crashed, so did the town. The Wells Fargo building survives as a museum.
Quick Facts
- ONLY place in world with silver in sandstone
- Geologists said it was 'impossible'
- Had Chinatown and Catholic church in Mormon Utah
- $10 million in silver extracted
Location
Address: Washington County, Utah
Coordinates: 37.2372, -113.4353