Wolverton Mill

Originally commenced in 1921, the Wolverton Mill was an attempt to realize dreams of an elusive Spanish gold mine hidden in the tops of the Henry Mountains. Edwin Thatcher Wolverton, the mill’s architect, builder, and operator, believed he could find the legendary mine where others had failed. Waiting for the right opportunity, Wolverton was not able to start construction on the mill until he was 60 years old. With the help of his two sons, Wolverton’s dream project became a reality in spite of an old Indian medicine man’s curse:

To whomever reopens these workings will come great calamity. His blood will turn to water, and even in his youth he will be an old man. His squaws and papooses will die, the earth will bring forth for him only poison week instead of corn.

We don’t know if Wolverton ever found his lost mine, but once in a while he would come to town with a little gold. Weather his dreams were realized or not, his mill stands as a unique monument to mining, perseverance, and genius.

Many people, including members of the Wolverton family, worked to complete this reconstruction. A detailed brochure explaining the mill and its operation is available at no charge. We hope your visit will be both informative and enjoyable.

Located at 360 South 100 West in Hanksville, Utah