Ghost Town: Joy, Juab County, UT

Kevin B.

EU Contributor
Site: Joy
Alternate Names: N/A
County, State: Juab, UT
Years of Occupation: 1872-?
Status of Site: Open
Classification: Class 1
Type: Mining
Remnants: Empty site. Some mining relics in the hills near by.
GPS Coordinate: 39.572097, -113.061445
NRHP Reference#:
Date of Last Visit: 10/23/2016


Site history: Joy was settled in 1872 as the center of the Detroit mining district by Harry Joy (one of the founders of the Packard Motor Company) and Charles Howard.

Site status and condition: Abandoned. No remains of the town are readily visible at the site of Joy itself. Two grave markers by the side of the road appear to be relatively modern additions. The foothills to the southeast contain the remains of mining operations, most notably the Black Boy complex. Multiple open and unmarked shafts and adits dictate caution.

Further Reading:
http://www.onlineutah.com/joyhistory.shtml

Directions to Get There:
Access to the town of Joy is easy from several directions, on graded gravel roads. Approximately 10 miles north of Delta on US6, turn west onto the Brush Hwy. Travel approximately 31 miles, watch for an unmarked four way intersection with an unnamed dirt road. Turn left (SW) onto the dirt road and follow it 7 miles to the site of Joy.

Vehicle access to the mines to the southeast is on unmaintained roads, and may require high clearance and/or 4WD depending on local conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
 

Kevin B.

EU Contributor
Ore Tipple:
20161022_130907_zpsnodv6v1x.jpg


Building remains and open adit:
20161022_133732_zps4ggbiqe0.jpg


Don't slip:
20161022_142015_zpsueusapxb.jpg


Workings:
20161022_143022_zpsr5rbesyo.jpg


Hoist for sale, used. Will not deliver.
20161022_143536_zps1zfx1dgi.jpg
 

99discovery

Sightseer
The grave at Joy is a tribute to "No-Nose Maggie" a relatively popular figure in the area, she allegedly ran the house of ill-repute and bar in Joy and was the last resident. She got her name from her nose being disfigured from a thrown beer bottle.

This was a popular story by my English Teacher growing up, and my Grandpa who was a desert rat in the area knew of the tale as well. The article also appeared along with some info on the Marjum Pass Hermit in one of the Lincoln Highway magazine articles in the late 90s or early 2000s. I kept my Grandpa's copy when I was in college, I'll have to go through my things and if I find it, scan it for the forums. It goes into more detail about her colorful character and the vibe of the town.

Here is a photo of no-nose maggie:

https://collections.lib.utah.edu/details?id=124677
 
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