I am 126 years old — one of the oldest structures in Park City. I command a lofty 360-degree view of town. Standing 95 feet tall has its advantages. My siblings, all 39 of them, are shorter than me. Alas, four of them have perished.
My creator referred to me as “Tower 39.” During my existence, I’ve witnessed the ebb and flow of this remarkable community. Hope, grief, prayers, resurrection and miracles. I want to share one of those miracles. But first, some background on my lineage.
In the 1880s, two friends well-versed in the ways of Western mining camps reunited in Park City. Their impact would transcend multiple generations of miners.
David Keith and Thomas Kearns incorporated the Silver King Mining Co. in August 1892.
In 1898, frustrated with delays in realizing their vision, they recruited a brilliant yet eccentric millwright to shepherd the construction of their mine. It was a wise decision. In terms of sustained wealth, the company became “King” both locally and regionally. Their production volume, technological innovation and efficiency were second to none.
This man, John Breckenridge Fleming, was my creator. Associates referred to him as “Flawless Fleming.” He served as the chief architect/project manager for all aspects of the Silver King Mine buildout.
Full production commenced in May 1899. The final subsystem of his Silver King master plan began operation in June 1901. The Silver King Aerial Tramway, known to locals as SKAT, was considered the world’s premier gravity-operated tramway. The cables and ore buckets were supported by 39 towers — my family. You could say we did the “heavy lifting.”
By 1951, even the Silver King was unprofitable. Mine operations ceased the same year. The tramway system stood silent.
In 1953, the company merged with United Park City Mines. For the Silver King ecosystem, the consequences of abandonment gradually but inexorably took their grim toll.
Disaster occurred in the winter of 2022-23. The roof of our headframe building collapsed due to massive snow load. Were we, the SKAT tower family and all vestiges of Flawless Flemming’s handiwork, poised to vanish like sandcastles at high tide? We needed a miracle to save us.
In 2015, a multi-decade Park City resident with a penchant for making the impossible possible turned her attention to the dire state of affairs afflicting all remaining mining-era surface structures, including the Silver King complex.
For Sally Elliott Cousins, time was slipping away to stabilize, preserve and/or resurrect these reminders of Park City’s 112-year legacy of mineral extraction.
In collaboration with Sandra Morrison, then executive director of the Park City Museum, Marianne Cone, Rory Murphy and Sally established the Friends of Ski Mountain Mining History, which operated as a volunteer committee of the Museum. Its mission: rescue historic mining structures. Education, fundraising, and forging strategic alliances were the vehicles to do so. Park City Municipal and Vail Resorts soon joined the crusade, and others would follow.
Fast forward to this year. The Friends of Ski Mountain Mining History has raised over $5 million cumulatively. The money has supported the preservation of 15 mining structures, including the Silver King Headframe Building just recently. This largest, most complicated restoration project to date is nothing short of a miracle. And I have not lost the rest of my family.
As part of this year’s Miners’ Day festivities, a ribbon-cutting ceremony in front of the Park City Museum will herald the launch of their Park City Historic Mine Route. This hike utilizes a GPS-assisted audio guide to commemorate the town’s mining heritage. Fittingly, of the trek’s 24 stops, numbers 9 to 12 relate to the Silver King Mine.
Notable personnel associated with preserving Park City’s mining history include Brian Buck, Clark Marinez, Jonathan “JR” Richards and Donald Roll. Community partners include Park City Municipal Corporation, Empire Pass Master Owners Association, Park City Mountain and Vail’s Epic Promise Foundation, Deer Valley Resort, Silver Star Owners Association and the Park City Museum.