Understand
Long before Park City became a world class mountain resort and venue for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, it was famous as a silver mining town, and boasts a lively and colorful past. Founded by prospectors in the late 1860's, Park City continued to mine silver until the early 1970's.
From approximately 1850, when small settlements were forming, until the railroad lines were laid throughout the West in the 1890s, stagecoach travel was the main form of transportation. There was even a stagecoach business in Park City! William Kimball, a Park City resident, started his stagecoach business in 1858 competing with Brigham Young for United States mail contracts. He was sent to England on a Mormon Church mission and when he returned, he started the Park City-Salt Lake City Route. The Kimball Brothers Stage Line operated from 1872 until 1890, when the railroad made its way into the West. Moving quicker as well as transporting more people and mail, the railroad easily put the stagecoach out of business.
Between 1880 and 1920 when Park City mines were the most organized, productive and active, they produced more than 20 million tons of ore including lead, zinc, copper, silver, and a small amount of gold. These were the years of Park City's mining renaissance. The mining company, Park City Consolidated Mines, started the ski business in 1963, when they built the first lifts on what was then called Treasure Mountain. The Park City area now has three world class resorts: Park City Mountain Resort, Deer Valley Resort, and the Canyons Resort.
In 2002 Park City was a major host site for the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. 175 city volunteers contributed more than 6000 hours to the Games, or the equivalent of 750 workdays and this doesn't even count the public safety volunteers.
Tourist Information
Park City's visitor information centers offer maps, brochures and other information.
Park City Museum
528 Main Street, 435-649-6100, (http://www.vistparkcity.c...), M-Sa 10AM-7PM, Su Noon-6PM closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.Located on Historic Main Street in Park City, the Museum recently underwent a $9 Million renovation. Stop by the Museum Store to get tips and guest information from the Visitor Bureau's Visitor Information Specialists.Park City Visitor Info Center
1885 West Ute Rd, 435-649-6100, (http://www.visitparkcity....), M-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 10AM-7PM. Currently located in the lobby of the Richens Building & Summit County Library. A new Visitor's Center, which is located next door, is under construction and will be completed in late 2012.