History of Deer Valley, Utah

Originally, booming as silver and precious metal mining town in the 1800s, Park City was one of few places in Utah settled by non-Mormons. Unlike other sober towns in Utah, there were saloons, prostitution "cribs", theaters, and mining buildings. Wealth brought more people and, at one point, Park City's Ontario Mine was considered the greatest silver mine in the world. Over time, natural disasters, such as fire and flood, destroyed the town, until, by the 1950s, people left and Park City became virtually a ghost town. Recreational skiing and tourism not only saved the town in the later half the 20th century, but dramatically increased its entire economy. Park City, Utah, is now one of the wealthiest cities in the US. You may also know it as home to the Sundance Film Festival. In 1936, the Salt Lake Junior Chamber of Commerce hosted "Park City's first winter carnival" in Deer Valley. But it was not until 1946 did Deer Valley proper become its own resort independent of Park City. Two men - Bob Burns, a machinist, and Otto Carpenter, a carpenter - created the first lift, using a Hercules truck engine to power it. They maintained this antiquated lift, while reckless skiers kept breaking it. Thereabouts, Mel Fletcher directed a ski club called Snow Park, the same name of the future resort Snow Park Village. Carpenter eventually bought out Burn's ownership and ran the small resort. In 1975, the Royal Street Land Company acquired the rights to Deer Valley, Utah, and proposed a six-phase project to accommodate 12,000 people and to expand the resort, so that it included Snow Park, Bald Mountain, Flagstaff Mountain, and Empire Canyon. This resort town opened in 1981 with five chairlifts and thirty rails. Deer Valley has not looked back, growing steadily as one of North America's most successful ski resorts. The 2002 Olympic Winter Games events, such as slalom, aerial and mogul, were hosted in Deer Valley, Utah. As of 2004, the population of Park City is 7,882.