Silver Reef Mine - Travel Tuesday

This week I am going to take you to a little stop off the main road that I found earlier this year before I even know I was going to be moving down to Southern Utah.
It's the Silver Reef Mines just off I-15 about 15 miles north of St. George.

While I am sure you could find a bit more to do, I believe there is some hiking around the area too. I only had about 30 minutes and I just wanted to stretch my legs a bit before a long drive I had. This is the perfect spot for that.

If your wondering what this place is. Its the only place in North America where miners found Silver in Sandstone.
This place actually became a town at one point, full with grocery stores, several saloons and a few restaurants. Even the Chinese who finished working on the railroads after the 1870's came here and created their own small little Chinatown.

Eventually like a lot of mining towns, when the boom wore off, the town became vacant and the mines closed in 1884.

Above is what the town that once housed 2,500 people looked like.

Now it's a museum and a place to stop and learn a little American History.

I have a thing for old wagon wheels, they just have so much character and my mind can't help but wonder about the places the traveled and the people who sat on them what they saw in the open frontier along the way.

While there are current homes in the area. You can actually drive around and view some of the old sights. Or even better, get out and walk around.

Not only that, but this little stop is right in some beautiful red canyon country.

So it's not a spot I'd plan a vacation around. But if you're in the area it is definitely worth stopping by sometime and seeing. Of if you're driving on I-15 and need a little break it's a great place to use for it!

Do you enjoy stopping at little bits of history along your road trips?