Page Contents for Ophir, Utah

Statistics & Facts

Location

History & History-related items

City Attractions

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Statistics & Facts

The Utah state capital is Salt Lake City.
The population of Ophir is approximately 25 (1990), 38 (2010).
The approximate number of families is 18 (2010).
The amount of land area in Ophir is 0.416 sq. kilometers.
The amount of surface water is 0 sq kilometers.
The distance from Ophir to Washington DC is 1936 miles.
The distance to the Utah state capital is 37 miles. (as the crow flies)
Ophir is positioned 40.36 degrees north of the equator and 112.25 degrees west of the prime meridian.

Location

south of Tooele
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History & History Related Items

A history page for Ophir.

The Goshuite Indians, a branch of the Shoshone, lived in the area before the white man came. They had some ornaments made of silver which they had mined from local exposed ore. Off-duty soldiers during the 1860's began to prospect the mountains in the hopes of "striking it rich." Some of the soldiers became aware of the silver owned by the Indians and asked them if they would show them where they found the silver. They were led to East Canyon in the Oquirrh Mountains. Not long afterward, mining began in those mountains of East Canyon. The canyon was renamed Ophir after the Biblical Ophir because that is where King Solomon found his gold and silver.

The first mining claim was made on 23 Aug 1870, called Silveropolis. Very little gold was found in these mines. Most of the ore was lead, silver, zinc and copper.
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The founding of Ophir

1870

Attractions

A webpage for Ophir.
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