Park City Colorado Townsite – Ghost town
Photos courtesy of Mike Sinnwell April 2006
Park City Colorado is one of those towns that came into existence due to the stage lines. Four stage lines went through Park City on a major route leading over mosquito pass . As the railroads came it was of little importance and dwindled in size.
Readers write -Thursday, February 08, 2007 2-8-2007,Great photos. I am trying to identify the building where Carl Petterson and his wife had a bar, dining room, cafe and an apartment upstairs. I was a niece who stayed upstairs in the fall of 1939. I don’t suppose you happen to know which brick building that was? Thanks for the photos anyway.
Thursday, February 08, 2007 – Thanks for the great photos. I lived in Park CitY, in 1935, 1936. and 1937,until a mine accident at the London Butte MIne and an uncle John Reynolds died. We lived in a slab house, and later in one of three white white frame houses up the hill. The landlady ANN ? had a two story house that I stayed in when I had the whooping cough. I went to school for the first time in Park City. Someone has been working on these houses. R. C Rempe, Plainville KS,
Friday August 31, 2007 – It was a nice surprise to see the photos of Park City, CO. The small cabin, top half white and bottom brown, belongs to my parents and I believe it is one of the 3 white ones mentioned by R. C. Rempe. The Landlady was probably Ann Moore who’s two story home burned to the ground in the 1960s. The school house is still there but is not pictured and has been altered quite a bit.
The only building I know of that might be the one owned by Carl Peterson is on the other side of the hill further up the pass from where these pictures were taken and was known as the Orphan Boy Bar, later owned by Dacon Judd who turned it into a home.
I hope that this might help those who left e-mail. – G. L. Eggleston
A viewer provided these pictures September 2008 – Here are his comments. I’m not sure if you want to post these kind of pictures but I thought that some would like to see what Park City was like in the 1950’s. – Gary Eggleston ( The one photo is the London mine 1939. )
A viewer writes – Sunday April 19, 2009 – I lost this site for a while, and was greatly relieved to find it again after a hard drive crash. Thanks to the person who told me about Ann the landlady’s house, in Park City CO, burned down in 1960 .and for providing a last name. I never thought I discover her last name, since both my parents are deceased. In another post I asked about Carl Peterson’s bar and dining room. I must have put it in the wrong place, they were in Central City on the main street, not Park City, thanks for the reply. and a special Thank You to Mike for this marvelous site. R.C. Rempe rclhremp@ruraltel.net
A viewer writes – April 19, 2009 – First the Carl Peterson Bar Cafe was in Central City, not Park City. I must have entered something wrong. The other photos of Park City contributed by Mr. Eggleston are great. We lived in one of the log homes at first, then one of the 3 white houses noted. It was the one on the right hand side of the group as you faced them. I have a photo of Dad’s car in front of the house I thanks for the clue of Ann’s last name. R C
A viewer writes – April 2009 – April 25. 2009:Thanks again for the website and to Mr. Eggleston who sent photos added to Park City site. After re-reading his comments I believe the Orphan Boy Bar must be the very first place we lived in until my Father began to work at the London Butte Mine. Dad said it was a dining room of the Orphan Boy and the owner said we could live there for taking care of it I have one photo of my year old brother standing outside. Years later I asked my dad where was the Orphan Boy ..he replied it was about one half a mile straight up! Do you know what happened to the “spring” where Dad went to carry water for household use. It was in a building with a sign of some kind warning about something. Very clear deep water is what I remember . R.C. Rempe rclhremp@ruraltel.net
April 25 2009′ Can anyone viewer identify where the cafe and bar operated by Carl Peterson was located. I was on the main street, and from the back entrance of the second story apartment a very swift yellow colored channel/river lay below the small balcony with a rain around it. A scary diaaying site to a 9 year old flatlander. R C Rempe, thanks for the website. It is fabulous.
A viewer writes – Saturday, November 08, 2014 — First off, great website! I love this kind of history. I figured I’d give a little info, while I may not be a whole lot of help, for Park City. I used to be friends of the family who owns the green cabin (and also the one a few pics later, single story with the green roof which is just to the left of it). I’ve been lucky enough to be able to stay in those places a handful of times. The mine in the back has a large yellow sign on it which has the name Buckskin Joe on it. We’ve explored it numerous times since it was right on the back of the property. Very cool. There are also old metal “slides”, I assume to move water, back there weaving in and out of the trees. The green cabin was originally back over by the mine and was either just an office or an assay office of some sort, I’m not sure which exactly. But at some point they took a big bulldozer and drug it closer to the road where it sits now. I’m not sure what year, but the family had old photographs of it in the process of being moved (they were pretty old photos), I wish I had them still to share with you all. I’m unsure of the history of the second building to the left, but I’m fairly certain that’s original to the area (of course it’s been fixed up a little). I have a lot of memories offroading and dirt biking around the area to check out all of the mining ruins. There are definitely some cool ones to see. We don’t dare wander off the roads though as there are tons of “glory holes” into the ground that others have fallen into before and could never get out.
Park City
Thu, Sep 5, 9:56 PM
My Dad, Earl Hadley, had that picture of Park City. Of the 3 cabins on the rise the one on the right belonged to my parents, Ruth and Earl Hadley, in the early 50s. The middle one belonged to Lloyd and Kathern, I don’t recall their last name. The one on the left belonged to Ed and Lavina. I believe their last name was Cowen or something similar. If I remember right, they had 3 daughters. 2 of them were twins. Years ago my Mother told me Ed moved his or something happened to it. We moved from Denver to Florida in 1957. I finally made it back for a visit and found the area. Obviously, there were some changes, but we found the area. If anybody has more information, I can be reached at drhadley50@yahoo.com. if I remember some details incorrectly, I apologize, it’s been over 60 years. I will try to forward my picture but it’s the same exact one. I believe my Dad either took it or got it around 1954.
Dale Hadley
My grandfather bought a cabin around 1957 just past the main settlement on the right – this cabin is still used by our family (as well as a 2nd cabin that was built). My grandfather used to have Deacon Judd (mentioned in the thread) over to dinner and drinks quite frequently. We have visited the Orphan Boy mine hundreds of times as it is just up the hill from our cabin. I am guessing that we could add to the discussion. My dad especially might have information as it relates to late 50s, early 60s.
In particular, I am almost certain that bar/saloon that has been discussed is on the left just a little further up the hill. It is rumored to have been a stage-coach stop originally. Our cabin is rumored to have been a related house of ill repute and had some very odd stalls in a back room that seem to support this idea.
Doug Francone