Matt Binyon, owner of American Rust Company, started going to garage sales by himself when he was 13-years-old. Picking was in his blood. A picker is someone who finds valuable items in other people’s junk. “I’m the only one in my family that’s into this stuff,” says Binyon. “People watch ‘American Pickers,’” says Binyon, “but it doesn’t work that way. Half the time these … [Read more...]
Gold Hill, Utah–A Treasure Town on the Verge of Extinction
The Tooele County recorder said yes, indeed there are permanent residents in Gold Hill, Utah, but “they’re the kind of people that might greet you on the porch with a shotgun and ask you what you’re doing there.” Gold Hill, Utah, is tucked up against the West Desert hills near the Beehive State and the Silver State border. The unincorporated town shares the common … [Read more...]
Chic on the Cheap
For many people, shopping at Deseret Industries or Goodwill is the only affordable way to buy clothes, toys, or furniture. Among these resources for everyday living lies the possibility of discovering cultural artifacts such as rare records, clothes, or books for a low cost. It is not a new phenomenon to pick through these stores’ merchandise for unique items, however, in … [Read more...]
Collecting Shed Antlers is a Hobby for Some, Big Business to Others
People have been making use of the antlers shed by deer, elk and moose for eons. Whether used by primitive tribes as tools or weapons, hung on the walls of mountain cabins and hunting lodges as trophies, or made into elaborate creations sold in high-end furniture stores in places like Jackson Hole, Park City and Aspen, the branch-like bones cast off each year by ungulate … [Read more...]
Explore Hidden Utah and Discover Hidden Gems
This is our “Hidden Utah” issue. In previous years it was known as our “Buried Treasure” issue. I have discovered that many of Utah’s best treasures lie hidden in plain sight. There are good reasons to dig under rocks and into mountains. There is gold to be found in abandoned mining claims, and indeed there is buried treasure awaiting rediscovery. Joseph Smith knew this, as … [Read more...]