County
Summit
Year Built
1893 (Silver King Mine established); headframe building 1926
Architect
Silver King Coalition Mines Company
National Register?
The Silver King Coalition Mine National Historic District was designated in December 2024, with the headframe building as its centerpiece. The broader Silver King Mining District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
Status
Saved
Status Explanation
The rehabilitation of the Silver King Coalition Mine Headframe Building finished in October 2025. The project stabilized the shaft, rebuilt the snow-damaged roof with original corrugated metal panels that kept their historic look, and secured the building as the centerpiece of the Silver King Coalition Mine National Historic District, which was designated in December 2024. The Friends of Ski Mountain Mining History received Preservation Utah's 2026 Community Stewardship Award in the Rehabilitation and Restoration category for this four-year effort. The building will serve as the starting point for the Park City Historic Mine Route, set to open in September 2026. This 7.8-mile loop will connect mining-era structures and landmarks throughout Park City's Main Street, Treasure Hill, and Empire Canyon.
About the Threat
The immediate threat has been resolved, and the Silver King Coalition Mine Headframe Building is no longer endangered. The mine shaft that had destabilized the structure had settled into an unsafe crater seventeen feet deep, with soil sliding on three sides and exposing the ancient masonry footings of the headframe. This shaft has now been plugged and the footings encased. The roof, which was damaged by snow, has been rebuilt using original corrugated metal panels. Inside, the building has been stabilized, deteriorated flooring replaced, and every window fitted with expanded steel screens. After seven decades of vacancy, the building was finally secured and the work was completed in October 2025.
The Silver King Coalition Mine National Historic District was designated in December 2024. This recognition opens up new opportunities for preservation funding and tax credits to support future care of the site. A security camera system now connects to Park City Mountain Resort's infrastructure. When the Park City Historic Mine Route launches in September 2026, it will bring regular public visitors to the site. This ongoing community engagement will help preserve the building for years to come.
One ongoing concern is the Silver King Mill, which sits a few hundred yards from the headframe building. While its condition does not directly affect the headframe building, losing the mill would diminish the historic value of the entire mining complex. The mill is listed separately on Preservation Utah's 2026 Most Endangered list.
Access
The building sits above Park City Mountain Resort, near the base of the Bonanza chairlift, and can be reached via about 3 miles of dirt road. When the Park City Historic Mine Route opens in September 2026, the site will be part of a 7.8-mile public heritage loop.
History
The building sits above Park City Mountain Resort, near the base of the Bonanza chairlift, and can be reached via about 3 miles of dirt road. When the Park City Historic Mine Route opens in September 2026, the site will be part of a 7.8-mile public heritage loop.
What can be done? What was learned?
The Silver King Coalition Mine Headframe Building shows how ongoing, community-led preservation can succeed even in tough situations. The Friends of Ski Mountain Mining History spent four summers working at a site only accessible by three miles of dirt road. They managed complicated ownership, easements, and approvals that might have discouraged others. The project worked because it followed a clear goal: restore the building to how it looked during active mining, using original materials whenever possible. This approach, along with strong project management, steady fundraising, and deep community support for Park City's mining history, made the difference.
The National Historic District designation, awarded in December 2024 as the restoration finished, shows the benefit of seeking federal recognition at the same time as doing the physical work. This designation honors the building’s importance and also makes it eligible for funding and tax credits to help with long-term care. It came just as the building was ready to become a highlight of the district, not a burden.
The Park City Historic Mine Route, opening in September 2026, highlights what can happen when a building is not only stabilized but also given a new public role. Buildings that welcome visitors, offer programs, and become part of the community last longer than those that are simply preserved. Linking the headframe to a 7.8-mile heritage route turns it from a remote industrial site into a destination. This change is a preservation strategy in itself.
What is the timeline?
In May 2024, Preservation Utah added the Silver King Coalition Mine Headframe Building to its Most Endangered Historic Places list. This brought attention across the state to the building’s importance and the urgent need for restoration. At that time, the mine shaft under the headframe had sunk into a dangerous crater seventeen feet deep, with soil slipping away on three sides and revealing the old masonry footings.
The Friends of Ski Mountain Mining History finished restoring the building in October 2025. They plugged the mine shaft, encased the masonry footings, rebuilt the snow-damaged roof with original corrugated metal panels to keep its historic look, replaced damaged flooring, and added steel screens to every window. In December 2024, the Silver King Coalition Mine National Historic District was created, with the headframe building as its main feature.
In April 2026, Preservation Utah gave the Friends of Ski Mountain Mining History its Community Stewardship Award for Rehabilitation and Restoration. Park City Municipal also presented the Cindy Matsumoto Historical Preservation Award at a City Council meeting in May 2026, followed by a public celebration at the McPolin Barn on May 9. The Park City Historic Mine Route, a 7.8-mile public heritage loop linking mining-era sites across Park City, is set to open in September 2026 with the headframe building as its starting point.
What has been the public discussion?
The Silver King Coalition Mine restoration was covered regularly by the Park Record and KPCW during the four-year project. Park City Municipal gave the Friends of Ski Mountain Mining History the Cindy Matsumoto Historical Preservation Award and held a public celebration at the McPolin Barn on May 9, 2026. Preservation Utah also honored the project with its 2026 Community Stewardship Award for Rehabilitation and Restoration. At the celebration, FOSMMH co-founder Sally Elliott summed up the building’s importance: "The Silver King was probably the most financially successful mine, and it gave us some of our greatest characters. It's really provided us with wonderful human-interest stories that we love to tell our hikers and bikers, and history lovers."
Links to more information and articles.
Preservation Utah 2026 Community Stewardship Award — Silver King Coalition Mine Headframe Building: https://www.preservationutah.org/awardees-2026/silver-king-coalition-mine-headframe-building
Park Record, April 9, 2026 — Community Stewardship Award: https://www.parkrecord.com/2026/04/09/silver-king-coalition-mine-headframe-rehabilitation-among-preservation-utahs-2026-community-stewardship-awards/
KPCW, May 6, 2026 — public celebration coverage: https://www.kpcw.org/2026-05-06/park-city-mine-silver-king-coalition-restoration-headframe-building
TownLift, April 7, 2026 — preservation award coverage: https://townlift.com/2026/04/park-city-mining-landmark-wins-statewide-preservation-honor/
Park Record, October 24, 2025 — restoration completion: https://www.parkrecord.com/2025/10/24/scrubbing-time-at-the-silver-king-coalition-mine/
Park Record, October 24, 2025 — FOSMMH 10th anniversary: https://www.parkrecord.com/2025/10/24/friends-of-ski-mountain-mining-history-commemorates-10-years-of-preserving-park-citys-history/
KPCW, July 30, 2025 — restoration progress: https://www.kpcw.org/park-city/2025-07-29/thaynes-silver-king-mines-opening-for-public-tours-after-restoration-work
Friends of Ski Mountain Mining History / Park City Museum donations: https://parkcityhistory.org/product/donate-capital-campaign/