148. Tooele International Smelter and Tooele Valley Railroad

The history of Tooele’s International Smelter starts with the history of the Highland Boy mine and smelter. The International Smelter construction started December 9, 1908, work on the Tooele Valley railroad, started at the same time. Governor William Spry lit the first furnace in July 1910. The smelter had three main obstacles to overcome, 1. Moving the ore from the mine to the smelter, 2. Moving the finished products out and supplies into the smelter, 3. Housing for all the workers building the smelter and railroad, then to run the smelter.