Entry No. 40 — the Salt Lake City file — filed under: ruins
Dream Mine
Founded in 1894 by John Hyrum Koyle after a series of prophetic dreams, this unproductive gold mine was intended to fund the LDS church during a future financial apocalypse. Despite decades of excavation and thousands of stockholders, no gold was ever found, and Koyle was eventually excommunicated. Today, the striking, multi-tiered white mill building stands abandoned on the hillside, though the Relief Mine Company still holds annual shareholder meetings.
The story
In 1894, John Hyrum Koyle—a local bishop in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—claimed a series of prophetic visions directed him to a spot on the mountainside above Salem. According to Koyle, celestial messengers showed him rich subterranean veins of gold hidden inside the mountain. The catch was that this wealth wasn't meant for personal luxury; it was intended to fund the church and sustain believers during an impending worldwide financial collapse. Koyle formed the Relief Mine Company and sold shares to thousands of eager stockholders who believed they were buying insurance against the apocalypse.
Decades of drilling and tunneling followed, but the mountain refused to yield a single ounce of commercial gold. Church leadership grew increasingly hostile toward the project, calling Koyle before church councils in Salt Lake City as early as 1913 and commanding him to stop invoking divine authority to sell mining stock. Koyle refused to back down, leading to his eventual excommunication in the late 1940s. Yet despite zero gold, zero dividends, and the death of its founder, the Relief Mine Company never dissolved—it remains an active entity to this day, still hosting annual shareholder meetings for descendants holding onto century-old stock certificates.
What it's like
Do not attempt to cross the fence line. The mine complex and surrounding slopes are heavily gated, monitored, and aggressively posted with No Trespassing signs by the Relief Mine Company. The real experience is taking a slow drive along the public valley roads near the Salem foothills to spot the iconic structure hanging off the ridge. The multi-tiered, gleaming white mill building looks less like a historic mining ruins site and more like an abandoned mountain fortress. Bring binoculars or a camera with a good telephoto lens, pull off safely on the shoulder, and take in one of Utah's most persistent monuments to religious millenarianism from a legal distance.
The move: Take a scenic drive to the foothills of Salem and find a safe pull-off to view and photograph the striking, multi-tiered white mill building from a distance.
📍 Before you go The mine and surrounding property are owned by the Relief Mine Company, heavily gated, and posted with 'No Trespassing' signs. However, the iconic white mill building is highly visible and can be safely viewed and photographed from public roads in the valley below.
- 📍 Spanish Fork
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Spanish Fork, UT 84660, USA
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current access before you go.
Pair it with
- Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum — Pair a distant look at Salem's prophetic apocalyptic mine with a short drive to BYU's campus to see Shasta, a preserved taxidermied liger.
- Central Standard Mine — Compare Koyle's fruitless, vision-led shaft with a hard-nosed 1920s mining prospect in the East Tintic District that dug 640 feet into the earth.
- John Hutchings Museum of Natural History — Follow up Utah's stranger religious history with a visit to Lehi to inspect oddities ranging from Butch Cassidy relics to a sample of tanned human skin.
Good to know
Can you go inside or tour the Dream Mine?
No. The property is private, heavily gated, and strictly closed to the public with 'No Trespassing' posted throughout. Access is limited to viewing the exterior from public roads in the valley below.
Where is the best place to view the white mill building?
Drive the public surface roads through the foothills around Salem and Spanish Fork. The multi-tiered white mill stands out starkly against the mountain backdrop and is easily visible across the valley.
Was any gold ever actually found in the mine?
No. Despite decades of continuous digging and thousands of investors purchasing stock, no commercial gold was ever extracted from the mountain.
Is the Relief Mine Company still in business?
Yes. While no active mining takes place, the Relief Mine Company remains an active corporate entity and continues to hold annual shareholder meetings.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Wikipedia · intermountainhistories.org · Atlas Obscura · atlengthmag.com · historytogo.utah.gov
last checked: 2026-07-20