Ghost Stories of Utah County | The Geneva Steel Mill

Vineyard has recently been an area with a lot of booming business and developments going on within the past few years. Residential developments, office buildings, retail space as well as another campus section for the University will eventually be built; but, if we were in the 1940s, this area would be famous for the powerhouse economy booster, known as the Geneva Steel Mill

Photo 1 - Utah State Historical Society

The Old Geneva Steel Mill sat alongside the shore of Utah Lake tucked away in the town of Vineyard. It first became famous due to the world war at the time and was a part of the United States Steel Corporation. Many things were processed there like pipe, steel plates, coal chemicals, ore, scrap metal and more. It had 5,000 employees at this time, making it the second largest employer in the state of Utah. It seemed as though everyone worked at the Mill.

Photo 2 - SLTribune (1943)

The Mill was somewhat of a miracle for the people of Utah. There were many great things that the mill provided, but there were also a lot of downsides. The Mill helped move the economy and gave it a positive boost. It provided a lot of jobs to a lot of people. However, there seemed to be a lot of side effects that bled over to every day life. People's health was taking a hit too do the high emissions put off by the plant. Our air was horrendous during this time. It was so bad that drivers on the road could barely see through the thick smog that the mill gave off. Food and crops took a hit as well, with angry farmers demanding justice for their suffering fields. In the 1970's the EPA came down very hard on the plant, trying to regulate more and more of the emissions crisis.

Photo 3 - SLTribune (1942)

This wasn't the only problem that the Mill was experiencing. Fatal accidents and deaths were reoccurring on sight. In 1990, eight workers were killed by an explosion at the plant. In 1994, a man was electrocuted working on a circuit board. In 1997 a worker's body was crushed between a steel rail and crane cab. It wasn't until 2001 was when the mill was permanently closed and abandoned for the next few years and shortly after that they filed for bankruptcy. During that time of abandonment, there came in the reports of strange sightings and apparitions. It is said that you could hear footsteps behind you when no one was there. You couldn't shake a feeling as though you were being watched or closely followed. The lock room at the mill was rumored to be the most haunted. Everything from the showers turning on and off by themselves and apparitions of men then suddenly vanishing.

A few years later in 2005, the mill was completely demolished and the clean up process began. It took years to get all the concrete slabs and residual debris out of the area and cleaned up. But now bigger and better plans are set and ready for building.

Let's hope the ghosts were swept away after all those years...

SOURCES

PHOTO 1 - Online Article, "An historical glimpse of Utah Lake" Deseret News, 2012

{https://www.deseretnews.com/top/459/13/The-Geneva-Steel-Mill-An-historical-glimpse-of-Utah-Lake.html}

PHOTO 2 - The Salt Lake Tribune file photo of Geneva Steel in 1943.

{http://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=53950167&itype=CMSID#gallery-carousel-446996}
PHOTO 3 - The Salt Lake Tribune file photo of Geneva Steel in 1942
{http://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=53950167&itype=CMSID#gallery-carousel-446996}
ARTICLE 1 - Deseret News, August 17, 2000 "Accident kills one at steel factory"
{http://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=53950167&itype=CMSID#gallery-carousel-446996}
ARTICLE 2 - Geneva Steel, utahrails.net
{http://utahrails.net/industries/geneva-steel.php}
BOOK - "Restless Souls" by Linda Dunning
{https://www.google.com/search?tbo=p&tbm=bks&q=isbn:1599558238}