Utah has plenty of ghost towns, but did you know that there’s one little town that played an important role during the Civil War? Check out the tiny town of Fairfield!
The tiny town of Fairfield was established in 1855, when just a handful of people settled here. It was originally known as "Frogtown."
In 1858, Johnson's Army arrived to keep an eye on the Mormon settlers. It was rumored that the Mormons were poised for rebellion. 3,500 troops (nearly one third of the U.S. Army) set up Camp Floyd.
The Mormons never rebelled, but Fairfield and Camp Floyd played an important role in the Civil War, which was taking place thousands of miles from the Utah Territory.
Both the South and the North used the Utah War and the issue of polygamy to distract people from the much more pressing issues of slavery and states rights, which were dividing the country in half.
The population of Fairfield and Camp Floyd exceeded 7,000 people, making it the third largest city in the Utah territory, and the larges military installation in the entire country!
When troops returned to fight in Civil War battles, most of the buildings at the fort were dismantled.
The Camp Floyd Cemetery was established in 1858, but just three years later the troops here left to fight in the Civil War. You can pay your respects to the soldiers buried here.
Writer, editor and researcher with a passion for exploring new places. Catherine loves local bookstores, independent films, and spending time with her family, including Gus the golden retriever, who is a very good boy.
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