The state of Utah, in the Mountain States area, is one of the least densely populated territories in the United States.<\/p>\n
In the northeast of that state is Uintah County<\/strong>, which covers 4,500 square miles (larger than the Spanish region of Murcia) but has a population of only 35,620. In the easternmost part of the county, almost on the Colorado border, is the ghost town of Dragon<\/strong>. This site originated from a gilsonite mine founded in 1888 and called Black Dragon. In 1904, the railroad reached Dragon, and a small town began to form.<\/strong> This town became important as a transportation center, with its depot being the terminus of the Uintah Railroad.<\/p>\n By 1920, Dragon's population reached 487, but several events marked the beginning of its decline<\/strong>, which lasted several decades. Two of these events occurred in 1908. The first was an explosion in a gilsonite vein<\/strong> at the Black Dragon Mine, a fire that was impossible to extinguish and that was still active years later. That same year, there was an accident that killed two miners<\/strong>. Finally, new gilsonite veins appeared in the north of the state, at the same time that production at the Black Dragon Mine was declining. In 1911, construction of the railroad continued<\/strong>, and Dragon lost its importance as a terminal station.<\/p>\n By 1939, only 72 residents remained in Dragon<\/strong>, mostly railroad workers and their families. That same year, the Uintah Railroad ceased operations. By 1940, only 10 residents remained in the town.<\/strong> As happened in other mining towns across the U.S., World War II eventually turned Dragon into a ghost town. Even today, a huge crevasse runs through the desolate area<\/strong>, extending from the ruins of what was once Dragon. That crevasse is the old Gilsonite mine.<\/p>\n A month ago, the YouTube channel Outer Range<\/a> posted an interesting video exploring that crevasse and the ghost town:<\/strong><\/p>\n
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