When visiting the ghost towns of Spring Canyon UT, bring water, sunblock, and your imagination. Utah ghost towns. The words resonate in the mind, conjuring mystery if not magic. How does a town become a “ghost”? Who were the people who once lived there, and what stories did they leave behind? Ghost towns live as much in the imagination as they do in their physical sites, which … [Read more...]
Archives for August 2012
Chicken Coops Are Family Chic in Utah
Where does the Environmental Left meet the Libertarian Right? The organic and local food movement join forces with the gold, guns and groceries gang? At the chicken coop! Walk down any alley in Salt Lake-from the East Side benches to the Central City hood-and you’re likely to find chickens. Why? Regardless of political or philosophical persuasion, everyone eats. But chickens … [Read more...]
Cinematic History Made in Kanab
Kanab became famous for providing some of the best backdrops for western film heroes riding off into the sunset. It was such a hotbed for Hollywood stars that the town earned the nickname “Little Hollywood.” Situated in Kane County with easy access to the “Grand Circle”, a series of state and national parks and monuments including Bryce Canyon National Park, The … [Read more...]
Dude Where’s my Ranch? Utah’s famous dude ranch is up for sale.
Defa’s Dude Ranch is for sale. If a corporation buys this historic Utah dude ranch it is hard to imagine that the authentic mix between Wild West saloon and “Disneyland for rednecks” character of this place will not be lost forever. “You know that saying, ‘What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas’?” asks a man seated at the bar. “Well, that saying originated at … [Read more...]
Karma Catching up to Westgate Owner David Siegel
Utah Stories began reporting on David Siegel and his timeshare ripoffs beginning before the housing bubble in 2008. At that point Siegal was at the top of the world, looking to post $1 billion in sales with his company Westgate Resorts. We learned from attending a Westgate Resorts timeshare presentation that his sales associates flat out lied to customers. After we initially … [Read more...]
Wild Mustangs in Utah’s West Desert
A roan mustang stallion crests a hill in Utah’s range country. He views his herd of mares, paws the sandy desert ground and sniffs the air. He smells no predators, but he cannot smell the danger looming in the future. People travel from all over the country to Utah hoping to catch a glimpse of its wild horses. The mustangs are the descendants of horses brought … [Read more...]
Sugar House Scene — Preserving the famous signs in Sugar House
Four years ago, Laurie Bray took a walk around the Sugar House Business District with her dog Lola and a Nikon camera. Laurie is a professional photographer with an eye for images that tell a story. On that day she was collecting pictures of colorful, vintage signs that were instantly recognizable as symbols of Sugar House. It is fortunate that Bray took photos of those … [Read more...]
Single Action Shooting Society
Lefty Pete has steel in his eyes and lead at his fingertips as he calmly says, “I aim to shoot you or see you hang at Judge Parker’s convenience.” Blam...Blam! Blam! Blam! Lefty blasts a fusillade at targets that represent nefarious desperados. When the dust settles, he is the only man standing. Welcome to Utah’s Wild West - where rootin’ tootin’ and six-shootin’ … [Read more...]
Keeping the West Wild
"Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit, and as vital to our lives as water and good bread. A civilization which destroys what little remains of the wild, the spare, the original, is cutting itself off from its origins and betraying the principle of civilization itself.” Edward Abbey Utah Author Edward Abbey had a deep appreciation for the … [Read more...]
700 Wild Bison Roam Utah’s Antelope Island
Turning a corner at the end of the long causeway drive to Antelope Island you encounter one of the painted bison sculptures that decorated Salt Lake during the 2002 Olympics. Then you confront the real thing. There is no comparison. A free-roaming herd of 500 bison live and prosper on Antelope Island. Nearly hunted to extinction, the American Bison has made a dramatic comeback … [Read more...]