South Pass City - An Authentic Ghost Town

WYOMING LEGENDS

South Pass City - An Authentic Ghost

Town

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A historic stop about ten miles north of the Oregon Trail and a once bustling gold mining camp, South Pass City is one of the best known ghost towns in Wyoming, as well as one of the most authentic old settlements in the American West.

Situated in a small valley along the banks of Willow Creek on the southeastern end of the Wind River Mountains, South Pass City got its start in the summer of 1867 when gold was discovered in the Wind River Mountains by a group of Mormon prospectors.

South Pass City, Wyoming in 1906.

This image available for photographic prints

and downloads HERE!

South Pass City today, Kathy Weiser, July, 2008.

This image available for photographic prints and downloads HERE!

Though the precious mineral had already been found in small amounts in Sweetwater Creek, as early as 1842, the isolated region was primarily occupied by Arapaho, Cheyenne and Sioux Indians who were quick to attack those who had invaded their homelands. Early miners were forced to post lookouts for the Indians and the ore was found in such limited quantities, that miners didn’t begin to search the area in large numbers until U.S. Troops arrived in 1866. Even then, Indian attacks were frequent and heavy.

But, when a large vein was found at what would become the Carissa Mine, the miners flooded in, bringing their families with them. By 1868, South Pass City boasted over 250 buildings, 1000 people, and hundred of claims. South Pass City was the first of three mining camps in what was called the Sweetwater Mining District that was established. Atlantic City and Miners Delight soon followed. In 1870, Fort Stambaugh was built as a permanent post for U.S. Troops to protect the settlers and the miners.

South Pass City hummed with excitement as its ½ mile long main street boasted numerous hotels, restaurants, general stores, two newspapers, doctors, a bowling alley, and dozens of the ever popular saloons always found in popular mining camps.

The mining district continued to boom, growing to as many as 3,000 residents, as miners looking for investors and newspapers promoting further settlement in the area, exaggerated the amount of gold in the region. The settlement was so significant that it became the county seat of Carter County, when the area was still part of Dakota Territory. When Carter County became part of Wyoming Territory in 1869 and the county was renamed Sweetwater, it remained the county seat until 1873. (Later Sweetwater County would become part of Fremont County when it was formed in 1884.)

But, for South Pass City, its great boom wouldn’t last, and just two years after its establishment, would begin to show its first signs of declining. Hitting a slump in early 1869, the town resurged briefly after outside capital was poured into the area, but would slump again as expenses and hardships to recover the gold proved to costly for most miners. By 1872, the town only was occupied by only a few hundred people.

During its heyday years, South Pass City left its mark on American History, when a local saloon and mine owner named William Bright, served in Wyoming's First Territorial Legislature and introduced the first women's suffrage bill. The bill passed in December, 1869 Wyoming became the first state where women could vote.

The settlement's main street is still lined with historic

buildings today, Kathy Weiser, July, 2008.

This image available for photographic prints

and downloads HERE!

Just three months later, history would be made again when South Pass City resident, Esther Hobart Morris, became the first woman to hold public office in the nation when in February, 1870, she was appointed as Justice of the Peace. During her brief eight month tenure, she tried 27 cases.

Over the next several decades, South Pass City would see more good booms, as the mines would resurge briefly before being closed once again. Optimistic residents who stayed in the dying town, surviving by diversifying into ranching, timbering and cottage industries. But, in the end, South Pass would become a permanent ghost town. By 1949, the last of the pioneer families had moved on from South Pass and the buildings had fallen into disrepair. For the next two decades, the site was privately run as a tourist attracting, but the task of maintaining the buildings became too difficult.

Continued Next Page

Saloons were every popular in the many mining camps of the West and South Pass City was no exception. The Carissa Saloon was constructed around 1890 and continued to be operated as a tavern until the 1940s. Kathy Weiser, July, 2008.

The vast majority of buildings in South Pass City, hold

original furnishings and artifacts of the area, such as the

interior of the Carissa Saloon. Kathy Weiser, July, 2008.

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