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Beaver County


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Beaver County Facts:

County Website: Beaver County
Area: 2,592 square miles
Population: 7,233 (2023)
Founding Year: 1856
County Seat: Beaver City
Origin of County Name: Beaver River, named for the numerous beavers once found in its waters
Cities/Towns: Beaver City, Milford, Minersville
Economy: livestock, transportation, trade
Points of Interest: Beaver City Historic District, Eagle Point ski resort, Frisco ghost town, Minersville Reservoir State Park, Puffer Lake
Geography: Tushar Mountains on the eastern boundary, Delano Peak (12,173 ft) and Mount Belknap (12,139 ft)
Historical Significance: Over 100 sites on the National Register of Historic Places, 1882 Beaver County Courthouse
Notable Residents: Birthplace of Philo T. Farnsworth (television inventor) and outlaw Butch Cassidy
Natural Resources: High-quality drinking water, known as the World's Best Water

 

About Beaver County:

When visiting Beaver County you'll encounter typical basin and range territory. Early Archaic Indians, the Dominguez – Escalante expedition (1776) and trappers like Jedediah S. Smith (1826) and John C. Frémont (1844) all passed through the area before the county's creation in 1856. While a mining boom in the 1870s put Beaver on the map, farming has remained the area's main resource. Visitors can still explore the ghost town of Frisco. A unique feature of the region is its geothermal power plant, which harnesses natural steam and modern technology to generate electricity.

Beaver County is perhaps most famous for two notable figures. Robert Leroy Parker, better known as Butch Cassidy, born in 1866, gained infamy for the longest streak of successful bank and train robberies in the American West. Another well-known figure is Philo T. Farnsworth, born in 1906 in the county, who contributed to the invention of television. After his death in 1971, Farnsworth was honored in 1990 with a statue in the U.S. Capitol's Statuary Hall entitled Father of Television.

 

Resources:

More information for Beaver County can be found at the following sites:

 

Gallery:


A sign stands at the entrance, welcoming visitors to the town of Beaver, Utah.
Image from Wikimedia Commons.

Frisco, a ghost town in Beaver County, Utah, was an active mining camp from 1879 to 1929.
Image from Wikimedia Commons
The dilapidated housing structures and charcoal kilns reflect the story of Frisco, a once-thriving mining town that, like many others, experienced the industry's boom and bust.
Image from Wikimedia Commons
The Ancil Twitchell House is a historic residence located in Beaver, Utah.
Image from Wikimedia Commons

The Beaver Opera House is a historic building located in Beaver, Utah.
Image from Wikimedia Commons
The Milford train station serves as a historic transportation hub in Milford, Utah.
Image from Wikimedia Commons
The Julia Farnsworth House is a historic home located in Beaver, Utah.
Image from Wikimedia Commons

The former depot building at the Milford, Utah station was photographed in July 1978.
Image from Wikimedia Commons

Milford is a city located in Beaver County, Utah.
Image from Wikimedia Commons
The Mineral Mountains rise near Milford, Utah, forming a rugged landscape shaped by volcanic activity.
Image from Wikimedia Commons
Delano Peak, located near Beaver, Utah, is the highest point in the Tushar Mountains.
Image from Wikimedia Commons
The old Beaver County Courthouse is a historic building located in Beaver, Utah.
Image from Wikimedia Commons