Sandy in Salt Lake County, Utah — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Mingo Smelter

Photographed by Dawn Bowen, June 19, 2007

1. Mingo Smelter Marker

Inscription. The Mingo Smelter was the largest single producer in Utah of metals such as gold, silver, and lead. When it began in 1873, it was known as the Mountain Chief Smelter and was renamed the Mingo smelter in 1876 when it was expanded. By 1881 it produced 19,000,000 pounds of unrefined metal which was shipped to Pennsylvania. The rich ores came from Little Cottonwood Canyon, Bingham Canyon and Lark and provided work for 500 to 1,200 men. Power for the smelter was provided by water traveling through a network of canals to Allsop’s Pond on the south side of Locust Street. From there, it was channeled through wooden pipes to Mingo. In 1877 the plant consisted of Blake crusher, one pair of Cornish rolls, two reverberatory furnaces for ore, matte, and flue dust, three blast furnaces, two boilers, three blowers, and one 35 horsepower horizontal engine. The iron flux came from the Tintic District, the limestone was bought in Salt Lake City, and the fuel used was coke.

Using all four of its furnaces, the Mingo Smelter could produce enough metal to fill sixteen railroad cars each week. It was destroyed by fire in 1887 and was rebuilt

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in 1888.

The Mingo closed in April 1901 when the ores were depleted. This was one of the most successful of the old smelters that operated in Utah.

Erected 1993 by Daughters of Utah Pioneers. (Marker Number 470.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Daughters of Utah Pioneers series list. A significant historical month for this entry is April 1901.

Location. 40° 35.271′ N, 111° 53.35′ W. Marker is in Sandy, Utah, in Salt Lake County. It is on 9000 South (State Highway 209), on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 50 E 9000 South, Sandy UT 84070, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Wasatch Front

and in Greater Salt Lake.

It is also in the American Mountain West

and on the Colorado Plateau.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Rocky Mountains,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other

Photographed by Dawn Bowen, June 19, 2007

2. Ore car

markers are within walking distance of this marker: Sergeant Louis A. Slama Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away); Mary Ellen Parmley House (approx. 0.3 miles away); ZCMI Co-op Building 1890-1908 / Sandy Co-op (approx. 0.4 miles away); Sandy Co-op (approx. 0.4 miles away); Sandy Tithing Office (approx. 0.4 miles away); Sandy City Bank (approx. 0.4 miles away); Church Takes Root in Sandy / Early Sandy Schools (approx. half a mile away); Sandy Elementary (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Sandy.

Marker and ore car image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Dawn Bowen, June 19, 2007

3. Marker and ore car

Photographed by Dawn Bowen, June 19, 2007

4. Mingo Smelter Marker

Donor plaque on ore car image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Dawn Bowen, June 19, 2007

5. Donor plaque on ore car

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on June 25, 2007, by Dawn Bowen of Fredericksburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 2,725 times since then and 78 times this year. Last updated on September 15, 2010, by Bryan R. Bauer of Kearns, Ut 84118. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on June 25, 2007, by Dawn Bowen of Fredericksburg, Virginia. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.