This Ghost Town In Utah Once Had More Than 1,100 Residents And Today It is Left Empty
By Courtnie Erickson|Published February 10, 2022
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Courtnie Erickson
Author
From Southern Utah to the Panhandle in Idaho, Courtnie Erickson has lived in what she believes are the best (and the most beautiful!) areas in the country. She graduated with a journalism degree from Utah State University and has more than 15 years of professional writing experience. You’ll likely see her with a Dr. Pepper in her hand and a pair of running shoes on her feet. Courtnie is a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState.
It is estimated that there are more than 100 ghost towns scattered around the Beehive State. While many of these ghost towns were once busy and thriving, today they are left empty. The town of Widtsoe is one of these ghost towns in Utah. At this town’s peak, more than 1,100 people called Widtsoe home. Today, you’d never know it.
Widtsoe is located in Garfield County in southern Utah. It is approximately 15 miles northeast of Bryce Canyon National Park.
This town was settled in the 1900s by dry farmer Jedediah Adair. He had such great success with his dry farming techniques that it attracted many settlers to the area.
By the early 1910s, the town began to flourish. If you drove around Widtsoe at this time, you would see multiple stores and hotels. This town also had a church, post office, sawmills, and more.
During its early days, the name of the town changed quite often. At first, it was known as Adairville, named after Jedediah Adair who settled the town. After multiple name changes, in 1917, it was finally named Widtsoe.
Widtsoe was named after John A. Widtsoe, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a University of Utah President.
The town continued to flourish and grow. In 1919, the U.S. Forest Service district office moved to the town of Widtsoe. Around this time, the town reached its peak with more than 1,100 residents living in this small southern Utah area.
In fact, the town had grown so much there was talk of moving the Garfield County seat from Panguitch to Widtsoe.
Unfortunately, a severe drought and other casualties struck the area in the 1920s. This caused major problems for this agricultural community and many dry farmers began to leave the area. Eventually, more and more people began to move away to find better areas to make a living.
During the Great Depression in 1936, and as part of the New Deal, the Federal Resettlement Administration began purchasing land from some of the remaining residents in Widtsoe. The Federal Resettlement Administration was designed to help relocate struggling farmers to more productive land.
In 1938, the last few residents left this small town, creating a ghost town. Today, if you visit, all you will find are a few structures that are left standing. It is quite the reminder of life in southern Utah decades ago.
Have you ever visited this ghost town in Utah? What was your first impression? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
If you love to visit ghost towns in Utah, how about a road trip to some of the best around the state? Check out this haunting road trip we created that will take you through many of the best ghost towns in the Beehive State.
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