Hidden Treasure Mine
In 1865, the Hidden Treasure Mine was opened and the mining camp of Jacob City was established. It produced more profit than any other mine in town. For more than a century, the Hidden Treasure Mine in Tooele County, Utah, was the source of legends and dreams as it yielded silver, gold, and lead worth millions of dollars. It's 21 miles of tunnels, caves, and faults, were of great profit to miners, and a great adventure to those who explored through the veins of the Oquirr Mountains.
History
The Hidden Treasure Mine is owned by a family in Utah County, and has a lock on the upper entrance, preventing any access to inside the mine. The main adit has been plugged by cement to hold people out. There is a way into the Hidden Treasure from far below, in the old semi-ghosttown of Ophir, and via a connecting mine, The Buckhorn Mine. The entire mountain range is interconnected via the tunnels of the Hidden Treasure, Ophir Hill, and Buckhorn mines. Many artifacts still remain, and much is yet to be discovered within.
Lost Scout
September 22, 1989, Joshua Dennis, a 10-year old Blazer Scout, explored the mine with his scout troop. He was not given his own light to explore with, and while returning to the exit, some 2000' feet from the portal, became separated from his father, Terry, when he left Joshua to take another scout out of the mine. Finding himself alone, he crawled up a stope and remained on there for four days. Search and Rescue teams searched for those four days and were not able to locate Joshua, who didn't answer the calls of the Search and Rescue team. S and R and Sheriff's Department refused to allow anybody to help search for the boy outside their "professional" team. On the start of the fifth day, John Skinner, a local mine historian whos grandfather was the mine's superintendant, was allowed in. After checking two places that he thought they may find Josh, the third yielded the boy. He was disoriented and dehydrated but alive.
In 1996, a road was plowed from Stockton to Jacob City to allow for drilling rigs to gain access to the area. Since this time, the area often sees several visitors a day through the summer months.
Location
40.388074° -112.271932°
