Ghost Town: Welby

 Welby was a small camp that started in 1905. Not much remains other than a historical marker.

Quick Details:

Length: NA
Trail Type: viewpoint
Difficulty: DR1, get out and look.
Elevation Gain: NA
Restroom: No
Dogs? Dogs are allowed in public parks, leashed.
Other Info:

To Get Here:

Take 90th south west to the Old Bingham Highway. It will be on the south side. if coming from the east, I recommend turning left onto the Old Bingham Highway, then immediately left into the parking lot.

The Adventure:

Its a tiny little park with the historical marker and a picnic table.

For some reason the marker is fenced off.

Hmm, perhaps it was due to vandalism. It still looks good, but it also looks like it has been damaged. Anyway, I was able to poke my camera through the fence to get better shots.

I love the little train!

”Garfield Beach Railroad Junction was built in 1905. In 1908, it’s post office was named Welby in honor of Rio Grande Railroad Superintendent. The R.G.R.R. Company drilled water wells, built soft water treatment plant, a round house, machine and boiler shops. Welby had a telegraph office, boarding house, dance hall, pool hall, hotel, grocery and mercantile store, over 200 homes, and a three-room school house. The first teachers were Ann Phoenix, Bernice Nelson, and Miss Johnson. Harold Nielson was doctor. The railroad company lost it’s contract and Welby began to fade. The store and school were razed in 1948.

Welby Camp

No. 413 Erected 1981.”

As far as I can find the only building that remains is the old train station that was moved to Gardner Village. I tried to find more and just didn’t have any luck.

The Welby Train station at Gardner Village. Now home to Chocolate Covered Wagon.

Historical information. It was restored and dedicated in 1991.

Ope, I found the remains of the roundhouse on google maps. I might have to go explore that soonly.

Well, I guess that is unlikely due to being on private property. Poop. But here is a video (outside link) from someone that was granted access.

There is also an old foundation of some sort at the little park. I guess they deemed it not to be important enough to tell you what it was. I am pretty certain it was not the Train station, as that doesn’t seem to be the right shape, plus the sign at Gardner Village says it was donated by Holy Cross Hospital which is just to the east (so I assume that is where it was). Anyway, my guess is either the old school, or maybe the telegraph office. But, obviously that's just a wild guess haha.

I found a few historical photos on the archives library (outside link) but nothing particularly special, other than the old schoolhouse. 

Well, other than what I have shared today I was not able to find anything else. That's a shame.

Speaking of ghost towns, the old Big Lots sign. They went out of business and closed all their stores last year. In the end, there wasn’t much of a bargain to be found there, but I still miss them.

We had a little discussion as to whether it can be called a ghost town or not. Like, pretty much nothing remains other than the marker. And well, West Jordan just kind of grew up over it. Which I thought was a different situation than Cottonwood Heights, which was originally several towns that all kind of just joined. Meh, interesting thoughts anyway. I saw a couple classification charts in my research today, and I can't find the one I liked best again, but this one is pretty close and works for me too. On the Expedition Utah website (outside link). I think this would fall under the Class 1 category: Barren Town.

Well, that is Welby. I wish there was some more of it that was preserved, but I mean, Utah. If it isn’t LD$ history they don’t give a damn. But, it was a neat add on to the days adventure. I am glad we stopped by and learned a little bit. 7 out of 10 squirrels.

As for difficulty, it really is just a get out and look. DR1.

Dogs are allowed in city parks, leashed. Please clean up after your furry friends.