The White Lady of Spring Canyon - Latuda, Utah

During the 1880s around Carbon County, Utah, the coal mining industry began to boom after the railroad opened up between Denver, Colorado and Salt Lake City, Utah.  This caused the explosion of many small mining communities springing up around the area, especially in the area that became known as Spring Canyon.  The towns have since withered away into ghost towns, but the spirit of one particular woman still walks the area known as Latuda.

The White Lady of Spring Canyon roams the area where the ghost towns of Latuda and Helper, Utah used to be.         Photo: © Photographer: Juice Team | Agency: Dreamstime.com

Legend states that a woman, whose name remains unknown, lived near the Latuda / Helper region of Spring Canyon with her husband who worked the mines owned by the Liberty Fuel Company.  Her husband suddenly died for reasons unrelated to the mine, so they refused to compensate her and her infant child for his death.  Destitute and helpless with nowhere to go, she fell into madness and drowned her infant in the stream that runs through the canyon.  The next morning, the mine owners found her hanging from mining office roof where she had killed herself.

Folks in the canyon over the years report seeing a lady, dressed in white roaming down the canyon towards the spot where the mining office was located. One eyewitness, who lived in the canyon for years not believing the tale, saw The White Lady one evening while camping out in the canyon one particular evening.  Most witnesses say they saw the figure of a lady in white floating near the Liberty mine.  Many thought the entity to be evil, luring men into the mine to follow her, only to meet their doom.

It was well known back in the day among miners that if a lady were to set foot in a mine, it was a bad omen.  There are many who believe that The White Lady of Latuda is benign spirit that warns of eminent danger just like the legends of The Tommyknockers of the western mining areas.  These were "good" spirits reported to save miner's lives.

Hikers have been known to see The White Lady throughout the twentieth century near the mine or lingering along the stream that washes through the canyon. She always seems to be making her way towards the old Mining Company office. So if you are hiking the trails of Spring Canyon, keep an eye out for The White Lady!

Location:

Latitude 39.716836  Longitude -110.951475
Road maps: Latuda, Helper, Carbon County, Utah 84526

View the Index of Haunted Places

 
References:

Kathy Weiser/Legends of America
www.prairieghosts.com/latuda

Ghost of Archibald Gardner at Gardner Village - West Jordan, Utah

Through the mid 1800s, Archibald Gardner was a pioneer who is responsible for building a large part of the infrastructure in two states and a town in Canada where his family immigrated in 1822 to from Kilsyth, Scotland where he was born.  His final days were spent in Utah and some say his spirit still haunts one of his original mills that he constructed in 1848.

The original grist mill at West Jordan, Utah

Gardner built his first grist mill in 1837 in Alviston, Ontario.  After migrating southward, he moved to Utah Territory in 1847.  He built a grist mill on Mill Creek on what is now West Jordan, Utah which became very successful.  He built more mills, bridges, canals, tunnels, etc. and helped build the local economy.

After a time he moved to Afton, Wyoming where he built more mills.  He moved back to Utah in 1896, continuing to build and expand his business. Archibald Garner Died in 1902 and was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

Archibald Gardner, pioneer and business man in the 19th century American Southwest

Today the site of Archibald's grist mill in West Jordan is the site of Gardner Village, a series of shops and restaurants, and boutiques.  The original grist mill which for a time was Archibald's Restaurant, is now Country Furniture & Gifts.  It is said that the spirit of Archibald Gardner still haunts his old mill.  The spirit has been known to turn lights on in the middle of he night after the storekeepers leave.  Poltergeist like activity has also been known to occur in the store.  Items seem move by an unseen force, things have been found in places where they were not left, and there was even a sighting of Archibald himself.  An apparition in bib overalls which was there one minute and gone the next.

The site of Archibald Gardner's original grist mill.  Formerly Archibald's Restaurant, now Country Furniture & Crafts

A high rate of paranormal activity seems to occur when the building is remodeled as if Archibald is disturbed by the changes although the spirit seems relatively harmless.

Gardner Village hosts a Witchfest every October where fun displays of witches can be seen and participants are even invited to dress up and join the fun at certain times.

Gardner Village hosts a Witchfest every October.  Some of the festivities involve public participation.

Country Furniture & Gifts at Gardner Village
West Jordan, Utah
Phone - 801.566.2842

Gardner Village is located at 1100 West 7800 South, West Jordan, UT 84088 USA.

Restless Spirits of Dove Creek Camp - Kelton, Utah

In the late 1800s from 1863 and 1869 to be exact, laborers toiled so that the Eastern and Western United States was joined via railway for the first time.  This culminated at Promontory Point, Utah just north west of Salt Lake City. 

The golden spike ceremony at Promontory Point, Utah in 1869 finalized the completion of the transcontinental railroad.

Most of the workers that built the transcontinental railroad were Chinese immigrants.  When these workers were not working on the railway, they spent their time at their base camp which was near Kelton, Utah in the Dove Creek Basin which is not far from Promontory Point.  Thousands of Chinese workers died while laboring on the transcontinental railway. Many found their final resting place at what became known as Dove Creek Camp.  There have been numerous reports by visitors to the camp over the years that the spirits of Dove Creek Camp had made themselves known to those wandering through their final resting place.

Chinese railroad workers in the late 1800s

A typical railroad construction camp in the late 1800s

There have been tales of disembodied voices being carried on the wind in the area around Dove Creek.  And those voices were distinctly Chinese.  Some claim to have seen actual apparitions of the Chinese workers wandering through the camp laboring away after all these years.  Other visitors have encountered paranormal phenomenon such as strange lights that appear similar to sparks rising from the ground.

Lithograph of Chinese rail workers at Promontory Point, Utah

One report from a group of overnight campers at the Dove Creek Basin went beyond hearing voices in the night.  They claimed to have awakened to the sound of a phantom steam locomotive chugging through the darkness, a faint lantern seen moving along from a distance.

Dove Creek Basin in Utah

If you visit the Dove Creek Basin, you may want to keep a keen eye or ear open for the phantom railway workers, still toiling in their harsh labors for all eternity.

Location of Dove Creek Camp in Utah