Old Townsite Plat Chase, Part 2

: Main Street, Castleton, Utah

Here, I'm representing the joy and value of chasing old plats.

About thirteen miles south of Cisco at upper Castle Valley, nestles a ghost town of Castleton. The town was first settled in late 1870s or early 1880s, and once boasted businesses like Miller’s Hotel and “Plug Hat” kelly’s Saloon[1]. Post office was established in 1882 and the stage line from Cisco carried daily mail[1]. Even the twenty miles Grand River, Castleton & La Sal Mountain Railroad connecting the vicinity and the Colorado River was established in 1901, but never realized[2].

The town filed the townsite in 1901[3]. Unfortunately, however, in 1967, the Grand County vacated the original townsite. Today, it’s hard to imagine the golden age of the town: only a few lots from that time survive and even the main street slipped off the original plat.

Streets, blocks and lots are gone at Castleton, but the plat retains a few historic names as the landowners. Peter Doles who rests at the private cemetery shown in the plat is the son of Jerry P. and Alice Doles who moved to the town from Arizona in 1956[2]. Susan P. Johnston seems the relative of Alva Johnston who moved from Norwood, Colorado in 1949[4].

Accordingly, the town of Castleton retains accurate register and undisturbed field. With more continuous historical clues, we will be able to re-establish the spacetime of this ghost town.

[1] Firmage, Richard A., (1996) A History of Grand County, Utah State Historical Society
[2] Feb. 2, 1901 Salt Lake Tribune;
[3, 4] Salmon, Rusty, (2004) “Castleton: Turn-of-the-Century Boom Town”, Volume 52, Canyon Legacy, Dan O’Laurie Canyon County Museum
* Index of Grand County Plat (Castleton Townsite at file 04-0023.pdf);

: Google Map Satellite view
　　: plat of Castleton Townsite

　
公図の面白さについて記している。

Ciscoの近くに、Castletonという町がある。一時は現在の郡庁所在地Moabより栄えていたらしい。が、現在はやはりゴーストタウンと化している。しかしこの町にも、かつてTownsiteが制定されていた。

そのTownsiteは1967年に廃棄されてしまったが、現Platにもグレー表記で遺されている。もっとも、町を貫くメインストリートですらTownsiteのPlatからずれていて、現況から町の全盛期を想像することは難しい。とはいえ、Cisco同様、遺されているPlatおよびDelinquent Tax List・新聞記事などから、その時空をある程度は知ることができる。