UtahRails.net

UtahRails.net

Echo to Salt Lake, 1847-1914

This page was last updated on September 20, 2026.

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Overview

(The focus of this page is the various routes, trails and roads between Echo, Utah, and Salt Lake City, by way of the original Pioneer Trail of 1847, and by way of Silver Creek and Three Mile canyons.)

Early Roads From the East

The original path taken by the 1847 pioneers was a very difficult way to reach the Salt Lake Valley, with its route from Henefer, up what today is known as East Canyon, over Big Mountain Summit, then over Little Mountain Summit, then down Emigration Canyon. The down-slopes were so steep that the wagons had to be "logged" with drag logs, and tied off to trees to keep them from rolling down the steep slopes. The 1847 pioneers had taken the route because they were following the Donner-Reed party from the previous year. With many more immigrants planned to come to the Salt Lake Valley, a better way was needed, and needed soon.

Prior to the territorial road being pushed through Silver Creek Canyon in 1860, the immigrant road followed Echo Creek down Echo Canyon to its joining with the Weber River. The road then turned south and followed the Weber River upstream to the meeting point with Three Mile Canyon at Rockport, about 17 miles south of Echo. After 1860, the newly completed territorial road turned away from the Weber River where it was joined by Silver Creek, at today's Wanship. It then followed Silver Creek upstream to Parley's Park, then down Parley's "Kanyon" to Salt Lake City.

(Rockport, renamed from Three Mile, predated Wanship, which was at the confluence of Silver Creek and the Weber River. Wanship was first settled in September 1859.)

(Rockport - First called Crandall, then Enoch City, then Three Mile, the settlement at the mouth of Three Mile Canyon was an important pass for stagecoaches and wagons on their way to Salt Lake via Parley's Canyon. The name was changed to Rockport following the construction of a rock-walled fort as protection during the so-called Black Hawk War of 1865-1866. — Summit County Bee, July 22, 1977)

(The first reference to Rockport in online newspapers was in the Deseret News, October 5, 1869. The first reference to Three Mile as a settlement in Summit County was in the Deseret News, August 16, 1865. The first reference to Enoch City, in Weber Valley, was in the Deseret News, March 27, 1861. No reference to Crandall as a settlement in Weber Valley.)

("Rockport was first named Crandall for the little canyon by which it is located 'Three Mile,' and records say it was organized as a township by legislation in 1854 [sic:1864?]. There is no recording of colonization until 1860, at which time Henry Reynolds, Edmund Hortin and Henry Seamons arrived from Omaha. They immediately constructed log cabins to shelter them from the winter. The following spring a water ditch was surveyed from the Weber and a townsite laid out, this was done under the supervision of Jesse Fox. The townsite was called 'Enock City.' Several settlers arrived during the following year." — "Echoes of Yesterday, Summit County" published by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1947, page 199) (No reference in Territorial records of Three Mile being organized as a township.)

(Summit County itself was established by an act of the Territorial Assembly on January 13, 1854, and reduced in size on January 10, 1866, with Wanship as the county seat.)

In 1848 when Parley Pratt first explored what later became his "Golden Pass" toll road, he planned on the route passing through Silver Creek Canyon. But the first wagon train that used Silver Creek as its route, with its steep sides and narrow bottom, gave it a failing grade. A new route through Three Mile Canyon farther south became the chosen route. The new route, used from 1850 to 1860, made for a longer trip, by about seven miles, but it was much easier for wagons and livestock.

"It would seem that Silver Creek Canyon was the stumbling block, for Pratt never did get his road through this canyon; when finally completed, the Golden Pass Road was carried through the West Hills by way of Three Mile Canyon, the next canyon to the south." (J. Roderic Korns, "The Golden Pass Road," Utah Historical Quarterly, Volume 19 [XIX], 1951, pp.224-247)

On June 29, 1850, Parley Pratt advertised in the Deseret News, describing his new route, which was to be opened on or after July 4th. He first describes the route as beginning "15 to 18 miles" up the valley of the Weber River. By modern measurements, Rockport and the entrance ot Three Mile Canyon is about 14.5 miles south of Echo.

(Read more about the early period of Parley Pratt's Golden Pass Road, 1848-1850)

Parley Pratt had built his Golden Pass toll road through the canyon that carried his name in 1849-1850, but it fell into disrepair after he sold it. Pratt reportedly sold his interest in the road to finance his calling to serve a church mission to Chile. (Ezra C. Knowlton, History of Highway Development in Utah, published by the Utah State Department of Highways)

Unfortunately it is not recorded to whom he sold his interest but the lack of upkeep must have made for some public outcry. And it is public outcry that spurs politicians into action.

On January 15, 1850, the Territorial Assembly approved an Ordinance that created the positions of a Territorial Road Commissioner, and a road commissioner for each county.

On February 16, 1852, the Territorial Assembly approved a bill entitled "An Act For Improvement of Big Kanyon Creek Road". The law provided an unspecified appropriation for some work to be done on the road.

In August 1852 the Deseret News ran an editorial comment about the need to find a source of coal: "Coal! Coal!! Coal!!! -- Where is that coal mine that the brethren were to open as soon as the snow left, last spring? Have those brethren done as they agreed? We have no report of their doings. Now is the time. Snow will cover the earth again soon - no coal, no fire, cold feet; - wood in the kanyons, and cannot be had at any price, and no one searching a coal mine. Brethren, what are you about? Will you awake to your own and the public's interest, and hunt up a coal pit, and report to us forthwith? Who wants a thousand dollars for showing us a good coal bed near this city, before the next paper is issued?" (Deseret News, August 21, 1852)

The road became a Territorial road in 1855, and traffic along the road grew rapidly, meaning that it soon needed maintenance. The need for funds for what was called the Big Kanyon Road was a regular subject of discussion for the Territorial Legislature, with little or no funds being provided.

On January 19, 1855, the Legislature took action in the form of approving a bill entitled "An Act To Incorporate The Big Kanyon Road Company" which provided for a territorial charter of the enterprise, although it is not known who the individuals were that were involved in the organization.

(On the same date, the Assembly approved Acts incorporating the Weber Kanyon Road Company, and the Provo Kanyon Road Company. - page 281)

On September 29, 1855 two men, W. W. Phelps and a Mr. Rhoades, traveled to Parleys Park and returned to Great Salt Lake City via Parleys Canyon. On October 3, they made the comment that "the road down Big Kanyon will take considerable labor to make it even a passable road." (Journal History, October 3, 1855)

The passage of the U. S. Army's Utah Expedition in late June 1858, with its thousands of soldiers and hundreds of heavy wagons, and the column's attendant engineer squads, most assuredly greatly improved the road through Three Mile and lower Parleys canyons. By this time, no toll was being collected for what was Parley Pratt's Golden Pass road, and the government would likely have not paid such a toll in any case.

(If there hadn't been so many witnesses to the Army column passing through Salt Lake City, there is a possibility that the Army columns had passed from Echo up the Weber River to today's town of Kamas, crossed over the divide to the Provo River, then proceeded down Provo Canyon and into Utah Valley. This route was more thoroughly explored north of the Provo River by Captain Simpson when he returned east in August 1858. Along the Provo River, the Simpson party used the existing Provo Canyon Toll Road.)

Parley Pratt's "Golden Pass Road" was by this time becoming the major thoroughfare for travelers to the East. In the Journal History of the LDS Church for the years 1860, 1862, and 1863 there are numerous references to immigrant wagon companies arriving in Salt Lake City after having traveled through the canyon and also references to companies of church missionaries traveling through the canyon and rendezvousing at Kimball's Ranch in Parleys Park to continue their trip east. (Journal History, June 7, 1860; July 1, 1861; September 27, 1860; October 14, 1862; May 19, 1863)

Overland Mail

Before the railroad arrived in 1869, the transcontinental routes of the U.S. Mail from the East used the Territorial roads between Echo and Salt Lake City, as did the short-lived Pony Express, which carried a very limited amount of the mail due to its very high fee. The rest went by coach. The mail after 1860 was carried by mail coaches and passenger coaches, and they too used these same roads.

The following comes from "Echoes of Yesterday, Summit County" published by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers in 1947, page 22.

(Read more about the U.S. Mail in the 1850-1869 period, moving by coach to and from Salt Lake City, east and west)

"The first U. S. mail to go to Salt Lake City through Parley's Park was in January 1860. From all indications this road must have gone through "Three Mile Canyon." A post office was established in Wanship in 1864." ("Echoes of Yesterday, Summit County" published by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1947, page 39)

"The original trail into the north Weber valley from the west was through 'Three mile' canyon. And this is the road by which the stagecoach traveled to Salt Lake City with the first mail. After the road was completed through Silver Creek canyon late in 1861, making a shorter route to Salt Lake City, the Rockport mail was left at Wanship." ("Echoes of Yesterday, Summit County" published by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1947, page 204)

Hauling Coal, Before The Railroad

Moving the coal from the Grass Creek mines, and Chalk Creek mines above Coalville, was a challenge to be overcome in those early years. This meant that roads were needed to haul the coal by wagon, from the mines to markets in both Salt Lake City and Ogden. The road to Ogden followed the Weber River downstream. The road to Salt Lake City took a bit more work.

(Read more about the early coal mines at Coalville)

In January 1860, the Utah Territorial legislature canceled the franchises held by private companies for the Weber Canyon Toll Road, the Big Kanyon Toll Road, and the Provo Canyon Toll Road. This was reportedly at the request of William Hooper, Utah Territory's representative to the U. S. Congress, as well as Captain James Simpson of the U. S. Army's Corp of Engineers, all to identify the best entrance into the Salt Lake Valley from the East. Both men were hoping to obtain federal aid to improve these roads and to make one of them part of the route for a new national federal-aid road to California. (Knowlton, page 68)

(Also shown in "Acts, resolutions and memorials passed by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Utah, during the Eleventh annual session, for the years 1861-1862," page 29, "Compilation and Revision of the Laws and Resolutions in force in Utah Territory, and embodying certain Amendments.")

(After the failed attempt to have the U.S. Congress fund a road to Utah Territory, the Territorial Assembly, in January 1865 approved new Acts to re-incorporate the Weber and Provo canyon road companies. The Big Canyon Road company, known as the Great Salt Lake City to Weber road, was not re-incorprorated. — Acts, resolutions and memorials passed by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Utah, during the Fourteenth annual session, for years 1864-1865, page 55, 63)

August 29, 1860
"Road to the Weber Coal Mines. -- At the last session of the Legislative Assembly an appropriation of two thousand dollars was made, to be expended under the direction of the Territorial Road Commissioner, in locating and opening a road by way of Big Kanyon creek to the valley of the Weber, in the vicinity of the coal mines; but from some cause, the commencement of the work has been delayed till the present time, and some who are more or less interested in having the road opened have expressed an opinion that the work would not be completed the present season." (Deseret News, August 29, 1860)

September 12, 1860
"An appropriation of one thousand dollars was also made to aid to aid in opening the new territorial road from this city to or near the coal mines on the Weber." (Deseret News, September 12, 1860)

On three days in September 1860 (17th, 18th, 19th), Brigham Young, William Kimball and Daniel Wells traveled from Salt Lake City to the Grass Creek coal mine, by way of Parleys and Silver Creek canyons, then down Weber Canyon to its mouth, for the purpose of measuring the distance coal needed to be hauled to Salt Lake City. The odometer they used showed that it was 55.97 miles from Salt Lake City to the coal mine, by way of the "old road," a distance that would be reduced after the completion of the road through Silver Creek canyon, already completed for a distance of three miles. (Deseret News, September 26, 1860)

(Research suggests that the "old road" used in September 1860 to travel from Salt Lake City to the Grass Creek coal mine was eastward from Parleys Park to the Weber River by way of Three Mile Canyon, which reaches the Weber River at Rockport, a total distance of about 55.3 miles from Salt Lake City to the Church mine in Grass Creek Canyon, using modern measuring tools. The route through Silver Creek Canyon is approximately 51.8 miles. Rockport is about 3.9 miles south of where Silver Creek meets the Weber River at the mouth of Silver Creek Canyon, at today's town of Wanship.)

September 26, 1860
From the Deseret News, September 26, 1860.

Territorial Road (1860 to 1880)

Between 1860 and 1880, the Territorial road through Echo and Silver Creek canyons, and lower Parleys Canyon served as the main avenue for almost all wagons carrying goods bound for Salt Lake City from the east, as well as the steady stream of immigrants, and beginning in 1860, a steady stream of coal wagons traveling from Coalville's mines to Salt Lake City. The route was severely interrupted in 1880 when two competing rail lines began building parallel routes through Silver Creek Canyon. The Union Pacific-controlled Summit County Railroad laid standard gauge track along the canyon, beside the creek, while the independent, narrow gauge Utah Eastern built higher up along the north wall, an elevated position likely intended to aid its planned extension toward Salt Lake City, though exact historical details on the route selection remain unknown.

The route of the Golden Pass road used Three Mile Canyon, but the road through Silver Creek Canyon was seen as a shorter route. Newspaper accounts reported that on several occasions, church leaders called for volunteers to work on improving the Silver Creek Canyon road, and Brigham Young regularly called on the Territorial legislature to take action, but without effect until 1860 when $2000 was set aside to work on the road. This date in 1860 coincides with the start of coal shipments to Salt Lake City, from the mines in both Grass Creek Canyon, and Chalk Creek Canyon near Coalville.

The territorial road between Echo and Salt Lake City, first by Three Mile Canyon, then by Silver Creek Canyon, quickly became the main avenue for almost all wagons carrying goods bound for Salt Lake City from the east, as well as the steady stream of immigrants. The road passed down Echo Canyon, then followed the Weber River south first to Three Mile Canyon, then later to Silver Creek Canyon, passing Coalville and the Grass Creek and Chalk Creek coal mines. As the coal mines were developed after 1860, wagons loaded with coal joined the already steady stream of immigrant and freight wagons headed for Salt Lake.

January 20, 1860
Enacted by the Territorial Assembly.

January 20, 1860
"The territorial assembly of that year, after canceling the Big (Parleys) Kanyon Road Company franchise which it had authorized in 1855, approved on January 20, 1860, legislation requiring the territorial road commissioner to locate a road from Salt Lake City '... by way of Big Kanyon Creek to the Valley of the Weber on the most feasible route to Bridger.' The sum of $2,000 was appropriated for letting a contract with the necessary work to be completed by December 1, 1860." (Knowlton, page 27, citing "Act Repealing Certain Acts of Appropriating Money to Locate and Open a Road from Great Salt Lake City to the Valley of the Weber," approved January 20, 1860.)

In 1861 Daniel Wells and a small crew began constructing a road up Silver Creek Canyon which was less steep than Three Mile and would shorten the route to Salt Lake. Even though a dollar toll was charged to every vehicle passing through, the newly constructed road won over Three Mile Canyon. Also in 1861, Aaron Daniels built a stage station for the travelers near the confluence of Silver Creek and the Weber." The settlement was later named as Wanship, to honor a Ute tribal leader who had been kind to those early settlers during their first year. (Summit County Bee, July 22, 1977; August 10, 1984)

(The first reference to Wanship as a settlement in online newspapers was in the Salt Lake Daily Telegraph, July 26, 1864.)

On January 17, 1862, the Territorial Assembly appropriated $3,000 to the Territorial Road Commissioner to reimburse Daniel H. Wells "for means he expended on the Great Salt Lake City and Weber road." (Acts, resolutions and memorials passed by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Utah, during the eleventh annual session, for the years 1861-1862, page 33)

On January 22, 1864, the Territorial Assembly approved $4,839.31 in expenses of the Territorial Road Commissioner to repair the "Great Salt Lake City and Weber Road" "running through Silver creek kanyon." (Acts, Resolutions and Memorials passed by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Utah, during the Thirteenth annual session, for years 1863-1864, page 40)

On the same day, the Territorial Assembly approved moving the Territorial Road between Echo Canyon (then known as Peck's Canyon) and Chalk Creek Canyon (Coalville), higher on the east bench to avoid flooding the the Weber River. (page 50)

On November 16, 1864, the Deseret News printed an editorial which stated: "The amount of travel over the Wasatch Mountains is calling loudly for a well laid and made road kept in thorough repair. There is a tolerable road by way of the Big Kanyon Creek Kanyon, Parley's Park and Silver Creek upon which much has been expended but a large expenditure is needed to complete it as it should be and keep it in good repair." In answer to this call, along with others, the Legislature, while it was in session during January 1865, considered a bill that "would charter a company to construct a full road from Weber River, via Parley's Park and Parley's Kanyon, to the city..." (Journal History, November 16, 1864; January 12, 1865)

December 11, 1865
Territorial Governor George Durkee, in his Governor's Message to the Territorial Legislature on December 11, 1865, spoke specifically of the need for a road by way of Silver Creek Canyon to get the coal from the Weber mines to Salt Lake City.

Governor Charles Durkee in his message to the Legislature on January 1, 1866, in calling for further legislation on the subject, made the following statement about the Parleys Canyon road: "The road from this city, through Parley's Park to the Weber River, is the avenue through which passes the greater portions of the imports for the Territory. The road is an extremely difficult one and although much labor has been expended upon it, it is still, for much of the year, impassable."

On January 19, 1866, the Legislature approved a bill entitled "An Act Establishing a Territorial Road From Great Salt Lake City To Wanship, Summit County" and also appropriated $6,000 to build it. (Journal History, December 10, 1866; January 19, 1869)

January 19, 1866
The Territorial legislature appropriated $6,000 to complete the road by way of Silver Creek Canyon. (Ezra C. Knowlton, History of Highway Development in Utah, page 762)

(The Act was published word-for-word in Deseret News, March 8, 1866)

An amendment to the Act of 1866 passed at the same time set the locations for the toll gates, which were located near Lambs Canyon and in Silver Creek Canyon just southwest of Wanship. The amendment also made it possible for the convicts of the State Penitentiary to be used for some of the labor in the construction of the road. (Ezra C. Knowlton, History of Highway Development in Utah)

Summary of "An Act establishing a Territorial Road from Great Salt Lake City to Wanship, Summit County." (Acts, resolutions and memorials, passed at the several annual sessions of the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Utah, 1866, page 223)

December 10, 1866
Governor's Message To the Legislative Assembly, Territory of Utah, December 10, 1866: "The road from this city, through Parley's Park to the Weber River, is the avenue through which passes the greater portion of the imports for the Territory. The road is an extremely difficult one, and, although much labor has been expended upon it, it is still for much of the year almost impassable. The action had under the law passed at your last session, has failed to meet the requirements of the public; and some further legislation would seem desirable, either in the way of additional appropriation or a revision of the law." (Ezra C. Knowlton, History of Highway Development in Utah, page 761)

January 18, 1867
The Territorial Assembly granted Henry Alexander the right to build a toll bridge over the Weber River at Wanship, and to operate it for the period of eight years. The Assembly added a restriction that no person could build a similar toll bridge within one mile upstream or five miles downstream. (Acts, Resolutions and Memorials passed by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Utah, during the Sixteenth annual session, for year 1867, page 25)

(The five-mile downstream restriction puts that point near today's Hoytsville. This also shows that, after passing Coalville, the Territorial Road was east of the river. The one-mile upstream restriction shows that there was little traffic moving by way of Three Mile Canyon, which is three miles south, upstream, from Wanship.)

(On the same day, the Assembly amended the original act authorizing the toll road, to also authorize the collection of not exceeding double the toll for the road. All tolls were to be applied to the making, repairing and expenses of the "road from Great Salt Lake City to Wanship, Summit County." - page 32)

June 18, 1867
"Notice! - All persons traveling Eastward over the Great Salt Lake City and Wanship, Summit County, Wagon Road, who wish credit for Toll, will have to make arrangements for the same at my office, as none will be given at the gates. - Jos. A. Young, Superintendent." (Salt Lake Daily Telegraph, June 18, 1867)

A later law in January 1868 established that a toll was to be collected, and that the toll fees received were to be expended on maintenance and improvement to the road.

Febuary 21, 1868
Summary of "An Act Amendatory of and Supplementary to an Act entitled "An Act establishing a Territorial road from Great Salt Lake City to Wanship, Summit County," Approved Jan, 19,1866." (Acts, resolutions and memorials, passed and adopted by Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Utah. Seventeenth annual session, 1868, page 38)

The upkeep and operation of the new toll road became the subject of regular attention by the Territorial Legislature. In January 1869 they approved an amendment to the original Act which defined some of the duties of the Superintendent of the Salt Lake City to Wanship wagon road. The amendment made three stipulations: first was that the Superintendent cancel the accumulated toll which was owed by the Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company of the LDS Church for the year 1868 - $1,866.00; second was that the superintendent was not to collect any toll for the second section of the road, that part of the road which traversed the summit, between Hardy's Station at Mountain Dell and Ferguson's settlement near East Canyon Creek on the other side of the summit, until May of each year; third was that the superintendent was not to collect a toll from any party when the expenses of collecting that toll would exceed or equal eighty percent of the toll to be collected. (Ezra C. Knowlton, History of Highway Development in Utah, published by the Utah State Department of Highways)

On February 18, 1870, the Legislature approved another amendment which allowed the superintendent to not collect a toll at any time that he felt it appropriate not to do so. During the 1872 session the Legislature made a move which reduced its direct involvement in the operation of the toll road through Parleys Canyon. On February 13, 1872, they approved still another amendment which gave the superintendent instructions that he was to no longer collect any tolls and that he should sell all of his tools and equipment and deposit the proceeds in the Treasury of the Territory. This amendment also repealed all of the previous amendments and the original Act itself. (Ezra C. Knowlton, History of Highway Development in Utah, published by the Utah State Department of Highways)

These acts of the Territorial Legislature may seem like they were cutting themselves off from a source of regular income. In reality though, traffic over the former Golden Pass Road must have decllined considerably. The completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869, along with the completion of the Utah Central Railroad between Ogden and Salt Lake City in January 1870, allowed the immigrant traffic to come to Utah by rail, and for coal to be hauled to Ogden and Salt lake City, also by rail. The railroad now carried most of the regular passenger traffic, along with most of the freight traffic, both at a reduced cost of time and money. The Legislature making these changes to the duties of the superintendent may simply have been acknowledging an already existing situation. The final act that took away the superintendent's duties altogether acknowledged that there probably wasn't much for him to do anyway.

Silver Creek Canyon

The earliest road through Silver Creek Canyon was the territorial road that had evolved after 1860-1861. In the 1850 to 1860 period, and the 1880-1910 period, the road between Echo and Salt Lake was by way of Three Mile Canyon. In 1880 the road through Silver Creek Canyon was superseded by two railroads, the narrow gauge Utah Eastern, and the standard gauge Summit County Railroad, which was reorganized at the Echo & Park City Railroad a month after reaching Park City.

The Utah Eastern narrow gauge railroad was abandoned and removed in 1887. Although not an official Territorial road, the route the alignment and right-of-way of the abandoned railroad became the road through Silver Creek Canyon. Union Pacific still "owned" the alignment, but there is little evidence that it enforced that ownership, although they did try to "close" the canyon in 1890.

The following comes from Ezra C. Knowlton's "History of Highway Development in Utah," published in 1967.

The Territorial road through Silver Creek canyon later became part of the route of the Lincoln Highway, starting in the years before and after World War I. Initial construction of the Lincoln Highway began in 1913, the same year it was formally dedicated as one of the first transcontinental highways in the United States and one of the first highways designed expressly for automobiles.

Then after World War I, the Lincoln Highway used the route of the abandoned Utah Eastern. In 1925 when the U. S. highways were officially designated, the route through Silver Creek Canyon was chosen to become U. S. Highway 530, an improved and oiled road, wide enough for two cars to pass each other. In 1939 it was changed to U. S. Highway 189. Construction started on Interstate 80 in 1960, and the four-lane interstate was fully completed in November 1962, with the Union Pacific Park City Branch running at the bottom of the canyon and the eastbound lanes on the east side and the westbound lanes on the west side.

Beginning in November 1925 when the nation's highways were changed from named roads to numbered roads, the portion of the Lincoln Highway through Silver Creek Canyon was designated as U.S. Highway 530, later changed to U.S. Highway 189 in 1939.

U.S. 530 was an unpaved but improved and oiled road, wide enough for two cars to pass each other. Research has not yet found a date that the road was paved, but it was likely in the late 1920s when federal highway funds allowed paving of many roads in Utah. At the time of a 1932 map of Utah highways, the road is shown as U.S. Highway 530, and is shown as "bituminous treated," or oiled gravel.

Although Union Pacific's railroad operations were not affected, in June 1960 the appearance of Silver Creek Canyon began to change with the construction of an all-new alignment for the eastbound lanes of Interstate 80, south of the tracks on previously untouched land. The existing U.S. Highway 189 on the north side had been built in the 1920s as U.S. 530 on the abandoned Utah Eastern alignment (abandoned in 1887), and remained in use. Two-way traffic was diverted to the new eastbound lanes upon completion, and the old U.S. 189 alignment was rebuilt to become the new westbound lanes. The entire project was completed in November 1962.

Back To Three Mile (1880 to 1910)

Silver Creek Canyon changed from a road corridor to a railroad corridor beginning in 1880 when two railroads—the standard-gauge Summit County Railroad (reorganized as the Echo & Park City Railroad) and the short-lived Utah Eastern narrow gauge—entered the canyon. After the Utah Eastern was abandoned in 1887, its right-of-way effectively again became part of the main route between Echo and Salt Lake City, despite Union Pacific's underlying ownership. After going through its own bankruptcy and reorganization in 1898, Union Pacific lost interest in protecting its second alignment in Silver Creek Canyon, and the old narrow gauge alignment continued to be used more and more as an informal road.

September 3, 1880
"The U. P. Company has offered to make a road through Three-mile Canyon, to avoid danger and delay in Silver Creek Canyon while building the railroad there. The county court sits on Monday next and will then, doubtless, decide upon the petition of the U. P. Company, to be allowed temporarily to close Silver Creek Canyon while constructing their roadbed." (Salt Lake Herald, September 3, 1880)

November 17, 1880
"Proceeding on our journey, we cross Silver Creek at the foot or the bench which leads up to Three Mile canyon, through which a road has been made by the U. P. Company, as the one through Silver Creek has been rendered impassable for teams, by the railroads. Three Mile Town [Rockport] is a thriving little place, situated at the mouth of the canyon of that name and is three miles south of Wanship. From there we go through Wanship and cross the Weber river on a rather shaky wooden bridge, right close to the beautiful, substantial bridge of the Utah Eastern." (Deseret News, November 17, 1880)

(An letter to the editor in the Deseret News of December 3, 1880, spelled out the pros and cons of the change, but was in the end in favor of the railroad taking over the county wagon road through Silver Creek Canyon, at least until construction was completed. One positive result would be a permanent improvement of the road through Three Mile Canyon. - Deseret News, December 3, 1880)

December 15, 1880
With the railroad taking over the route of the territorial road through Silver Creek Canyon in 1880 during the period of construction of the Summit County Railroad, the County Court of Summit County approved Union Pacific's request to close and abandon the road permanently, or close it for a period not to exceed six months. Union Pacific spent $1000 to repair and improve the road through Three Mile Canyon in the interim. (Salt Lake Herald, September 9, 1880; Deseret News, December 15, 1880)

After Union Pacific gained control of the Utah Eastern in 1883 they took away the Ontario coal contract, the only real traffic that the Utah Eastern had. With the loss of the coal contract, the Utah Eastern was in reality, out of business. Almost immediately, the company was unable to pay any of its expenses and by February 1885 it was forced into receivership. The Utah Eastern officially went away during 1887 when the Echo & Park City company, a Union Pacific subsidiary, purchased the Utah Eastern under foreclosure in May 1887. The Utah Eastern tracks between Coalville and Park City were completely removed by December 1887.

In 1884, the Legislature granted $500 each to Salt Lake County and to Summit County to aid in the maintenance of the wagon road through Parley's Canyon and Parley's Park. (Ezra C. Knowlton, History of Highway Development in Utah, page 798) (No mention as to the route, Silver Creek or Three Mile.)

1885
Less than a month after reaching Park City in late 1880, the Summit County Railroad was reorganized in 1881 as the Echo & Park City Railroad, with Union Pacific in firm control of the company. Union Pacific took control of the parallel and competing Utah Eastern in November 1883, and a month later stopped operations of the company. By April 1885, the roadbed of the abandoned Utah Eastern had been washed out in several places, and four of the bridges over the creek completely destroyed by floods. (These washouts were along the Weber River between Coalville and Wanship, not in Silver Creek Canyon.) The Receiver of the bankrupt railroad estimated that it would take $3,250 to put the road back into operating condition, but that the company was in debt for its bonds and mortgages for a total of $527,569, with an interest payment of $57,569 due on April 1st. (Salt Lake Democrat, April 17, 1885)

August 27, 1889
When the narrow gauge Utah Eastern was abandoned and torn up through Silver Creek Canyon in 1887, Union Pacific retained ownership of the roadbed, and in 1889 when another railroad, known as the Wyoming, Salt Lake & California, was surveying and building a new route between the Coalville coal mines and Salt Lake City, UP made a point of blocking their attempted use of the abandoned right-of-way by placing old ties and rails along the abandoned route. (Salt Lake Herald, August 27, 1889)

March 31, 1890
"The Union Pacific Railroad, by consent of the County Court of Summit County, closed the Silver Creek road for a space of two years, thereby putting an almost absolute embargo on the travel over the same. The depot and telegraph service [at Wanship] were discontinued about four years ago, up to which time the people of Camas, Peoa, etc., came to Wanship for their freight and supplies; those privileges being denied them by the railroad management, they were forced to go to Park City." (Deseret Evening News,March 31, 1890)

July 26, 1890
"Wanship, the former county seat of Summit County, situated at the mouth of Silver Creek canyon, seems to have lost its glory. There was a time when it was quite a business point, but it has become a quiet village. Its regression has been caused by the removal of the county seat, the stoppage of the wagon road travel by the building of the railroad, and the poisoning of the water by the mills up at Park City." (Deseret Evening News, July 26, 1890)

(Research in available online newspapers found no reference to the road in Silver Creek Canyon between 1890 and 1910. No mention if the road was safe, or unusable, or even being used. The same results were found for the road by way of Three Mile Canyon.)

(Research suggests that the road in Silver Creek Canyon in the 1890 to 1914 period was simply on the roadbed of the abandoned narrow gauge Utah Eastern railroad, abandoned in 1887, although it may not have been a state or county road, meaning that there may have not been any maintenance. Research in Summit County records for funding approvals during the period may be able to determine if the county was maintaining the road, with or without state funds.)

Back To Silver Creek (1910 to 1914)

1910
The 1910 Utah State Road map shows both the Silver Creek Canyon route and the Three Mile Canyon route as county roads. Te state road passed from Salt Lake City east through Parleys Canyon to Park City, then south to what later became Hailstone Junction, to Kamas, then north along the upper Weber River Valley to Rockport, Wanship, and Coalville to Echo.

November 27, 1910
"Another splendid piece of road is the trip up Parley's canyon to Kimballs, if a longer trip is desired. The road after leaving Kimballs, down Silver Creek canyon to Wanship and Coalville on the Weber river, is in excellent shape." (Salt Lake Tribune, November 27, 1910)

June 18, 1911
"For autoists seeking a good day's motoring and, weary of the beaten paths, a new route running through 100 miles of the finest mountain scenery in Utah, with good natural roads all the way, has been discovered by Dr. C. M. Benedict, an ardent motor enthusiast. The route lies east from Salt Lake through Parley's canyon to Kimball, down the Silver creek to Wanship, on to Coalville and down the beautiful valley of the Weber into Uintah." (Salt Lake Herald, June 18, 1911)

(The story continues after 1914 and the designation of the Lincoln Highway, later U. S. 189, on the Silver Creek alignment)

(Read more about U. S. Highway 189 and the route through Silver Creek Canyon after 1914)

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