Deseret Peak Complex

This page last updated on May 30, 2021.

The Deseret Peak Complex is located in Utah's Tooele County, near Grantsville.

Timeline

May 1994
First proposed to occupy a 206-acre parcel of land at the intersection of Sheep Lane and State Route 112. The parcel of land had been obtained by Tooele County on a 99-year lease at a cost of $1 per year.

February 1997
Discussions and planning for what was called the Deseret Peak Recreation Complex continued until actual plans were presented to the Tooele County Planning Commission, and changes made in February through June 1997 to address comments and concerns.

The complex was to become the home for softball fields, soccer fields, a Tooele Army Depot museum, a western village, an Indian museum, a fine arts center, horse stables, indoor and outdoor arenas, and a three-quarter-mile race track. There was also to be large grassy areas for picnics and general recreation.

June 17, 1997
The plans for the Deseret Peak Recreation Complex were opened for public comment. A formal ground-breaking was also held at the site. (Tooele Transcript Bulletin, June 12, 1997; June 19, 1997)

November 1997
Construction began on a large arena at the new Deseret Peak Complex. The building was 165 feet by 250 feet, and was to be completed in time for the Tooele County Fair in August 1998, along with all other needed improvements to the site. By this tiime there was already a small indoor arena, a few bleachers, and a few horse barns. (Tooele Transcript Bulletin, November 20, 1997)

July 30, 1998
The Tooele County Fair opened at its new home, the Deseret Peak Complex. The first event at the new race track was a demolition derby held on August 1st.

September 3, 1998
The first reference to a mining museum mentioned that Barrick-Mercur mining company had donated its popular mining museum, in a a double-wide trailer, to Tooele County by upon the closing of its Mercur mine [in March 1997]. The museum was moved to the Deseret Peak Complex in spring 1998. (Tooele Transcript Bulletin, September 3, 1998) (The Barrick Mining Museum opened to the public during spring 2000.)

(The museum's name was at first the Barrick Mining Museum, but was changed to the more generic name of Oquirrh Mountains Mining Museum after Kennecott donated the railroad equipment; Kennecott and Barrick are competitors in the mining and production of gold and other minerals.)

Spring 2000
The Oquirrh Mountains Mining Museum opened at the Deseret Peak Complex. (No reference in online newspapers until September 2003)

Equipment

December 28, 2001
"A train engine, ore car and caboose once used to haul copper ore from Kennecott's open-pit mine are on display at the Oquirrh Mountain Mining Museum at the Deseret Peak Complex in Tooele County." "Two trucking companies donated trucks to haul the 130-ton engine to the museum site. The engine was moved in three sections, one weighing 65 tons. It was set on tracks at the museum by two, 200-ton cranes donated by Wagstaff Crane." (Salt Lake Tribune, December 28, 2001, citing the Tooele Transcript Bulletin)

Kennecott locomotive 402 was donated to NRHS-Promontory Chapter (Salt Lake City, Utah) on May 10, 1983; Kennecott 402 was traded to Oquirrh Mountain Mining Museum in November 1998; moved by truck in December 2001 for display at the Deseret Peak Complex (motor sports center) near Grantsville, Utah.

Kennecott ore car number 880.

Kennecott caboose 426 is an extended-vision cupola built by International Car Corporation at Kenton, Ohio. It may possibly be a former Missouri Pacific caboose. Donated by Kennecott Copper to Oquirrh Mountain Mining Museum; moved by truck in December 2001 for display at the Deseret Peak Complex (motor sports center) near Grantsville, Utah; renumbered as 416 (2nd) after 2008 and before 2011.

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