Red Canyon (Garfield County, Utah); Powell Ranger District (Utah); Road construction--Dixie National Forest (Utah)
District file #15045. Looking east through short tunnel showing larger tunnel in distance, curbs, gunite lining, and new alignment. Gunite placed on face of portal to prevent erosion in seamy rock. Note parking area between tunnels.
Emery County (Utah); San Rafael Swell; Geology; Paleontology; Dinosaurs
Dinosaur tracks can be seen in many different places in the San Rafael Swell. These raised tracks show a walking pattern of a three toed dinosaur. Dinosaur fossils and tracks from the Jurassic Period are abundant in the Swell and surrounding areas....
Emery County (Utah); San Rafael Swell; Mining; Uranium; Temple Mountain; Wheeler, Marion
Marion Wheeler mined at Temple Mountain during the Uranium Boom in 1955. This photograph is from his collection and reads, "Gill and Isabelle at Temple Mountain." Gill and Isabelle are in many of his photographs. Here they are sitting on a drill...
Emery County (Utah); San Rafael Swell; MK Tunnels; Cold War; Morrison Knudsen
In 1948 the Federal Government sent some military officials to the San Rafael Swell to build a series of tunnels over a 300 acre area. Morrison Knudsen Corporation (MK) won the construction contract to blast the tunnels in the solid rock. It was a...
Emery County (Utah); San Rafael Swell; MK Tunnels; Buckhorn Draw; Cold War; Morrison Knudsen
Close up of mk16 photograph of the largest tunnel. Morrison Knudsen Tunnel project was part of the Cold War security efforts. In 1948 the Federal Government sent some military officials to the San Rafael Swell to build a series of tunnels over a...
Emery County (Utah); San Rafael Swell; MK Tunnels; Cold War; Morrison Knudsen
Local men were employed in this top secret project known as the Government Tunnels until recently--now referred to as MK Tunnels. The interior of the tunnels was painted white and state of the art instruments were placed within the shafts to...
Emery County (Utah); San Rafael Swell; MK Tunnels; Magazine Storage; Cold War
This dugout is the magazine tunnel--storage area for the TNT or other explosives used in the experiment, located in Buckhorn Draw. In 1948 the Federal Government sent some military officials to the San Rafael Swell to build a series of tunnels over...
Emery County (Utah); San Rafael Swell; Buckhorn Draw; Cold War; MK Tunnels; Magazine Tunnel
The cave or tunnel used to store the explosives used in the MK Tunnel experiments. The top secret project lasted from 1948 to 1952. Not even local employees on the project knew the reasons for their work. The Department of Defence classified these...
Emery County (Utah); San Rafael Swell; MK Tunnels; Cold War
This photograph shows the inside of the tunnel walls. The interior of the tunnels was painted white and state of the art (1950) instruments were placed within the shafts to document the effects of the explosions. Remnants of the wiring to the...
Emery County (Utah); San Rafael Swell; MK Tunnels; Cold War; Morrison Knudsen
The interior of the tunnels was painted white and state of the art (1950) instruments were placed within the shafts to document the effects of the explosions. Remnants of the wiring to the instruments can still be seen in some of the tunnels, as...
Emery County (Utah); San Rafael Swell; MK Tunnels; Shanty Town; Cold War; Morrison Knudsen; Blasts
The Government Tunnel project lasted four years. It is now known as the MK Tunnels because the project was done by Morrison Knudsen Corporation under the direction of the Department of Defense. Local people were hired to help with the project. It...
Emery County (Utah); San Rafael Swell; MK Tunnels; Shanty Town; Cold War
Remains of the Shanty Town that was built for the workers on the MK Tunnels. Here we see exposed pipes as erosion has washed away their support. The Government Tunnel project lasted four years. It is now known as the MK Tunnels because the project...
Emery County (Utah); San Rafael Swell; MK Tunnels; Craters; Cold War; Morrison Knudsen
After the tunnels were created, varying amounts of TNT were set of on top of the formation to test the strength of the tunnels far beneath. Three tunnels can be seen from on top. Two of them were created by the explosives placed where the craters...
Emery County (Utah); San Rafael Swell; MK Tunnels; Blasting; Cold War; Morrison Knudsen
The controlled explosions, which were set off on top, were advertised in the newspapers as to the date and time. Many residents of Emery Country drove out to the area and witnessed the TNT explosions. These photographs were taken by individuals who...
Emery County (Utah); San Rafael Swell; MK Tunnels; Cold War; Morrison Knudsen; Explosions
The largest explosions, which were set off on top to test the strength of the sandstone tunnels, were advertised in the newspapers as to the date and time. Many residents of Emery Country drove out to the area and witnessed the TNT explosions....
Emery County (Utah); San Rafael Swell; MK Tunnels; Cold War; Morrison Knudsen; Explosions
The controlled explosions, which were set off on top. were advertised in the newspapers as to the date and time. Many residents of Emery Country drove out to the area and witnessed the TNT blasting. These photographs were taken by individuals who...
Emery County (Utah); San Rafael Swell; MK Tunnel; Morrison Knudsen; Cold War; Buckhorn Well
The pumphouse and storage tank of Buckhorn Well are visible 3.4 miles west of the MK tunnel site. Water from this well is used for livestock today, but was the source of water for drilling operations of the MK Tunnels project. The well was intially...
center of the street for said line. . . 4th -to enter Cedar City at 2nd South Street in the east part of the city. . . 5th -the privilege of purchasing enough of said plant to supply the city and its inhabitants with light, or the entire plant at...