This Abandoned Utah Town Has a Sad History

Utah is a state with spectacular landscapes and a rich history. Some of the most interesting stories are kept alive by the abandoned buildings that can be found around Utah.

These remains take us to the past and give us a better understanding of the lives of our ancestors.

Photo byJordi RubiesonUnsplash

In the early 1880s, originally named Blue Valley, located along the Fremont River in the Blue Valley of Wayne County, it was a Mormon farm settlement led by Hyrum Burgess.

The town grew fast due to the fertile land along the Fremont River. The name Blue Valley comes from the blue-gray soil.

The settlement was built on both banks of the Fremont River, but the south side was more popular, with more people living there. The two sides were connected by a footbridge.

In 1888, a school was built. Around that time, the name of the town was changed from Blue Valley to Giles. Residents changed the name to honor Bishop Henry Giles, an important person in the town.

Bishop Giles passed away at 35 years old in November 1892, after he fell from his horse and broke his leg.

Giles, UtahPhoto byGiles, Utah/Wikipedia

The town continued to grow in size due to its crops; by 1900, there were 200 people living in Giles. In 1901, a meetinghouse was built, and it was said to be the largest in the county at the time.

The town had a sawmill close to the Henry Mountains, a grocery store, a blacksmith shop, and a boarding house.

In the beginning of the 1900s, the town's residents faced lots of devastating floods on the Fremont River. The biggest flooding was in 1909–1910. The local church authorities gave up trying to save the town by maintaining a dam.

The residents started to leave the town during that time, being unable to save their crops. By 1919, Giles was an abandoned town.

Today, there are two rock buildings, many house foundations, and corrals that remind us of the existence of Giles Town.

Have you heard about the Blue Valley settlement or Giles? Comment with your thoughts.

Fremont RiverPhoto byFremont River/Wikipedia