Adventures in Rehab 5/4/13... Eureka, Utah 4

One of the few places in downtown Euraks that wasn't part of 'ghost town' Eureka; the Tintic Mining Museum. It was actually a great little museum.

Adventures in Rehab 5/4/13... Eureka, Utah 3

One of the cool places my friend took me was to the private cemetery of the mine owner. I certainly never would have found that on my own... A short drive out of town, up a quiet road, climb over a cable fence, walk through the woods and there it was, the Fitch cemetery. It's a good thing I had a tour guide!!!

I have to wonder about this grave. Unlike the others there was no headstone, just a tiny metal marker. At first I thought maybe it was a baby who died but the plaque said Aubrey Fitch 1852-1927... I have to wonder it he was the blacksheep of the family or something and that is why his marker was so tiny.

The Tintic Mine

The uppermost building is the Tintic Goldminers Inn

Adventures in Rehab 5/4/13... Eureka Utah 2

I consider myself lucky in my ability to connect with interesting people on my travels. Running into the property owners son (I think his name was Rocky) got us inside the cool old Eureka buildings and told some interesting tales and history.

First an old bar. A bar with a well in the middle of it. I have never seen an indoor well. We were told the well wasn't really used for drinking water, but as a place ot hide the moonshine during prohibition. It was also the place where the guns of disarmed drunks ended up. A door in the back of the bar went to a caves in room that was said to have housed the stills. The rooms were filled with interesting antiques and memorabilia. As we walked out he pointed out the staircase that led from outside to the second floor, and also had a door into the bar. Apparently the upstairs was a brothel, but back in the day women were not allowed into the bar, so the the bar door had to open into the stairwell for easy access to the women upstairs.

The next building we got access to was being remodeled into a gallery that displayed Billy Baum's (who owned the building) artwork, and other historic items and old photographs of the old mining town. Rocky told us interesting stories about the photographs, I wish I could remember them all.

Adventures in Rehab 5/4/13... Eureka Utah

My rehab photography excursion to Eureka ended up being much more interesting than I expected it to be. Believe it or not I actually know someone in Eureka. (Population 674 in 2011 according to the census bureau.) Jayme. a high school student, is a fellow beadmaker who know through our local lampwork group. His parents own the Tintic Goldminers Inn Bed and Breakfast. When I decided to head to Eureka I messaged him to ask for suggestions, and he invited me to come visit the B&B and volunteered to show me around town.

The old mining town of Eureka is quickly becoming ghost town. Most of the buildings are vacant and in disrepair, yet still give off he vibe of town rich in history. We had a lucky day, much to Jayme's surprise, the mining museum was open for us to visit. Then we bumped into some old fellows, sons of Billy Baum, the man who owns and is trying to restore these old buildings, who invited us to poke around inside and treated us to many interesting stories of the history of Eureka. I just love these chance meetings with interesting people. I have more pictures to come, but first some shots of Main Street Eureka.

The 'Topless' Bar... has no roof...

Adventures in Rehab 5/4/13 The Road to Eureka

The view from the west side of Utah Lake.

Ever since a trip to Great Basin National Park many years ago. where, on the return home. we drove the 'back way', through Eureka and around the west side of Utah Lake, I have wanted to head back there with my camera. Since I needed to head south for wedding reception I decided to make a day of it, drive the long, long away around and have a little photo safari. I always regretted not stopping for pictures of this old Sinclair Station years ago. The memory of that cool old place it was haunted me ever since. Wishing I had stopped. I was thrilled when I got to Elberta, Utah and found it still existed. There's not much in Elberta.. the old Sinclair and he boarded up remnants of a much more modern gas station.

Adventures in Rehab

Another weekend adventure....First of what I hope to be numerous adventures in rehab. I decided that I would use being sidelined from many of my normal activities as an excuse to work on an old neglected favorite... my photography. So after a heading north for a nice soak at the hot springs I took a soon to be sunset detour to the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. What a beautiful place! A Utah gem for sure! I saw pelicans, coots, grebes, herons, ducks, swallows, yellow headed blackbirds, avocets, stilts, geese and I think a bittern. I really need to go back and do some serious bird watching, and I would love to go ride the loop on my bike... maybe on a day when the bugs (midges) aren't quite so bad.