Frisco ghost town in Beaver County Utah is a former active mining town that was known for producing mostly silver during its profitable days. The town which was established after the discovery of rich mines would later fade after its mines collapsed. Today it remains a ghost town with dilapidated old buildings covering an extensive terrain.

Rise of Frisco town

Frisco was an inhabited region until 1875 when two prospectors discovered high-grade silver ores while exploring. The two who never anticipated their discovery would be one of the best silver mines in the world that would produce 50 million worth of silver, sold their claims to a mining company. Serious mining of the precious metals started after the ownership of the region changed, several kilns and smelters were constructed and a camp was established near the horn silver mine. The camp grew over time and within two years the camp which would later be named Frisco town had a population of 6000 people. A post office was established and a railroad financed by the mines and investors was constructed connecting the town to other neighboring towns and international markets.

Crime at Frisco

Frisco though being one of the most populated mining towns in the area, there was no police post or organized lawmen to maintain order. It became one of the most notorious mining towns of the day. Murder, theft, rape, and many other crimes were the order of the day. It is believed that not a single day could pass before somebody was killed in the town. Due to this, a man named Pearson was hired to be the town’s Sheriff. Pearson was not from the region and immediately he arrived in the town he brought to order by gunning down all the known outlaws and murders of the town. 

The decline of the town

In 1885, the principal mine, the Horn silver mine collapsed due to over-exploitation of the ground without proper planning. This was said to have been caused by the greed of the mine owners who wanted to exploit more metal, forgetting to reinforce their minefields. The collapse of the mines shut down the mines for more than a year forcing the residents of the town to seek greener pastures elsewhere. Though the mines were later opened up after the collapse, the town never came back to life. Productivity of the town was reduced as most of the rich grounds were sealed off by the collapse of the prior year. The town was deserted and by 1920 it had been left for nature to reclaim.

What is the current situation of the town?

Currently, all remains of Frisco town are old derelict buildings and charcoal kilns that were used to smelt silver metals. Nature has reclaimed most of the structures leaving collapsed concrete ruins as the only evidence that there was life in the town. The charcoal kilns in the town were the only structures listed under the national historic monuments. The town is still intact for ghost towns enthusiasts who would like to visit the town site. Just be on the lookout and careful as the roads to the town are rocky with undulating precarious terrain.