Did you know the town of La Plata, Utah only existed for about three years? Oh, I'm sure there were miners still there after most of the town closed up, but according to my research, the little mining town was only a viable place for three short years from 1891 to 1894.
I came across an interesting tidbit about La Plata. There were no houses of ill repute. When most every western mining town during that period had brothels and cribs for prostitutes, La Plata didn't allow them. There's a story that one day a wagon carrying three young prostitutes came into town and tried to set up business. They were ran out of town because most of the miners were family men from religious families.
I remember visiting the old town site years ago when we could still ride our ATVs up into the town and around the old mine shafts. The street was narrow and rather steep. A small river ran down the side of the road. You could see seen the foundations of some old buildings along each side of the road. Have any of you been to the old town site? If so, I'd love to hear from you.
Doesn't La Plata sound like a great place to use as a setting for a western story? Well, it is in my newest book, A Tug At My Heart.
A Tug At My Heart should be released shortly in e-book format and the print book will be available soon after that.
Happy Reading!
K. R. Bailey
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