The Bingham to Copperfield Tunnel

The Bingham to Copperfield Tunnel 

The Bingham to Copperfield Tunnel played a significant role in the livelihood of the community of Copperfield. As early as 1936, and almost certainly earlier, it became evident to Kennecott Copper Corporation, Utah Copper Division (Kennecott) officials that the county road (Bingham Canyon Road) that provided access to Bingham and Copperfield was hampering the expansion of Kennecott’s pit mining operations along its eastern edge (Bray 2007; Salt Lake Telegram [SLT] 27 May 1936:1). To alleviate this problem several solutions were proposed, chief among them were a road from Lark to Copperfield or a tunnel cut through the mountain from Bingham to Copperfield. The cost of the road was considered prohibitive, so it was determined that a tunnel, wide enough for two-way traffic (the finished tunnel only allowed one-way traffic), equipped with electric lighting, and a pedestrian pathway, was the most efficient and economical way of solving the problem (SLT 27 May 1936:1). The initial and unofficial cost estimate for the Bingham to Copperfield Tunnel was $500,000, a considerably low estimate as it turned out (SLT 27 May 1936:1). Another estimate put the cost at $1 million, closer to the mark. Whatever the cost, however, Kennecott was willing to pay the bill to allow for expansion of pit mining operations (SLT 19 December 1936:9). 

The Utah Construction Company was awarded the contract for the construction of the Bingham to Copperfield Tunnel. As of April 2, 1937, Utah Construction had 30 men on site and an additional 90 were expected to arrive soon (Utah Labor News [ULN] 2 April 1937:3). Ultimately, it was expected that 200 men would be employed to work the tunnel (SLT 19 December 1936:9). Excavation of the tunnel would begin within two to three weeks. The men were to be housed at the California, Ritz, and Canyon hotels and a boarding house operated by Utah Construction. In preparation for the commencement of tunnel excavations, crews from Ketchum Building and Supply Company razed houses located at the sites of the future tunnel portals. Those in charge of this massive project were Paul Guinn (superintendent of the tunnel work), Gus Hokanson (foreman of rock work), Harry Williams (in charge of concrete), and W. F. Meyer (office clerk). Work was to be conducted around the clock in three shifts and the estimated time of completion was 18 months (ULN 2 April 1937:3). 

The tunnel was completed on December 26, 1938, and opened to vehicle traffic on February 4, 1939 (Salt Lake Tribune [SLTRIB] 5 February 1939:12B; Strack 2019). Despite the significance of the construction project, however, the Bingham to Copperfield Tunnel opened with little fanfare. The first to drive through the tunnel were County Commissioner J. B. Mullins, Kennecott Mine Superintendent L. Buchman, and a few others. As the cars began their journey through the tunnel, Kennecott started tearing up the old road in preparation for the mine’s expansion. Prior to his driving through the tunnel, Kennecott’s Chief Engineer, G. C. Earl, presented the commissioner with the deed to the tunnel, The county was now responsible for the operation and maintenance of the tunnel. In return, the county relinquished jurisdiction over the old county road (SLT 19 December 1936:9; SLTRIB 5 February 1939:12B; Strack 2019).

The total cost of the tunnel ended up being $1,400,000 (SLTRIB 5 February 1939:12B; Strack 2019). The finished structure was lined with steel-reinforced concrete with an arched ceiling. It was 12 feet 4 inches wide with a one-way hard surface road and an elevated pedestrian walkway along one side (SLTRIB 5 February 1939:12B). Beneath the walkway were a sewer pipeline and storm drain (Bray 2007; SLT 19 December 1936:9). The new sewer pipeline replaced Copperfield’s open channel sewer (SLT 19 December 1936:9). Electric lights illuminated the interior and electric eyes (sensors) regulated the flow of traffic via traffic lights (SLT 19 December 1936:9). 

Exhaust fumes from the motor vehicles were monitored by sensors in the ceiling. When the exhaust fumes reached a preset particulate level, a 150,000 cubic foot capacity exhaust fan would kick-in, and the articulated doors located above each portal would automatically close preventing traffic (SLT 19 December 1936:9). and presumably pedestrians from entering the tunnel. Occasionally, automobiles and pedestrians would be inside the tunnel when the doors closed. Automobiles had no choice but to wait for the air to clear and the doors to open, a cycle that took about 20 minutes. Pedestrians on the other hand, could exit through a revolving door at the Copperfield portal; however, if someone was at the Bingham portal, they did not have an exit, unless they turned around or were already headed for Copperfield, (Bray 2007). It is not entirely clear whether the revolving door was one-way only, but it can be assumed it only allowed an individual to exit, similar to turnstile exit doors found at sports stadiums and theme parks. Photographs show the walkway being entered through automobile entry. 

The tunnel was 6,698 feet long (1.25 miles) and it was estimated that a one-way trip would take 6 minutes (SLT 19 December 1936:9; SLTRIB 5 February 1939:12B). The road was at 6.4 percent (3.66 degrees) grade rising from 6,100 feet at the Bingham portal to 6,600 feet at Copperfield (Strack 2019). 

The tunnel was the only road into Copperfield, and for those who lived in Copperfield “the tunnel became the lifeline that connected Copperfield to the rest of Bingham and to the valley” (Bray 2007:92). The one-way road through the tunnel was slightly wider than a bus, with 18 inches to spare on each side. There were three turnouts within the tunnel, each of which could hold three automobiles. The turnouts were very handy when traffic became fouled and cars met face to face within the tunnel, a situation that appears to have happened frequently (Bray 2007).

Traffic lights, located at each of the portals, were supposed to control the flow of traffic in one direction, from Bingham to Copperfield and then in reverse, from Copperfield to Bingham. Ideally, if an automobile arrived at the tunnel after the last car had entered the tunnel, the wait would be approximately 20 minutes, 10 minutes for the traffic to reach the far end of the tunnel and another 10 minutes for the return traffic to exit at the opposite end; however, this was not often the case, Cars would often run the red light, believing they could catch up with the last car. Lights would also be run when it was suspected that the lights were not working. Running the lights often resulted in cars coming face to face within the tunnel and this is when the three pullouts were put to good use. Depending on how many cars were trapped within the tunnel, the wait for the next light could take an hour or better. If several cars were inside the tunnel, there could be some creative use of back and forth driving and use of the pullouts (Bray 2007). Watchmen (traffic directors) were frequently employed at each portal during the dayshift, and especially during the summer months when traffic was particularly heavy. The watchmen communicated via telephone and could either flag traffic through or stop them at the entrance. They also had the option to operate the traffic lights manually (Bray 2007; Strack 2019). 

The proposed Bingham-Copperfield Tunnel (SLT 27 May 1936:12).

The official dedication of the tunnel occurred on September 30, 1939, seven months after the tunnel went into operation. The dedication occurred as part of Bingham’s first two-day Galena Days celebration. The evening before the tunnel dedication, Bingham High School’s new $500,000 auditorium was dedicated. The tunnel dedication ceremony occurred the following Saturday at 11 am. Daytime activities included children’s races, a soapbox derby, rock drilling, and muck loading contests. Food was served at the Old Timers Luncheon. Evening celebrations included a beard contest, a ladies’ costume contest, and dances at the Copperfield School and Society Hall. The Gemmell Club won the grand prize of $50 for the best float in the parade (Bray 2007; Deseret News [DN] 30 September 1939:9). 

Postcard photograph depicting Bingham portal 1939 (Strack 2019).

Once the tunnel was in regular operation, Copperfield children would travel through the tunnel twice a day on their way to and from school in Copperton. The children often played around the portals or inside the tunnel, sometimes jumping down onto the road and then hiding on top of the sewer pipe or behind a concrete pillar when cars would appear. A favorite activity was walking the entire length of the tunnel backwards, just to say they did it. Counting the number of light bulbs hanging above the sidewalk was also an important activity. Memories differ, but there were either 138 or 147. Regardless of which is correct, that is a lot of lightbulbs. The children also found it entertaining to fool around with the electric sensors that operated the traffic lights, their goal, to foul traffic. (Bray 2007). On at least one occasion their shenanigans paid off, at least from the children’s viewpoint. On February 18, 1939, 14 days after the tunnel opened, 11 children, ages 9 to 13, spent a half hour running back and forth in front of the sensor at one of the tunnel portals; antics which caused a traffic nightmare (SLTRIB 18 February 1939:12). They were apprehended by authorities and there is no doubt that 11 juvenile miscreants paid dearly when their parents were informed. 

Around the portals, while the traffic was stopped, the children would approach the tourist automobiles with small ore samples for sale. At the Copperfield end of the tunnel, where Kennecott’s Mine Observation Point was located, the children not only offered the tourists ore samples, but they also offered a guide service. The children offered the tourists a less crowded and much better view than they would have at Kennecott’s observation platform. The children not only provided a better view of the mine, but they also delivered a commentary about the mine operations and the various statistics (such as mine depth and width) that the tourists found interesting. This information was gleaned by listening to the spiel provided by the Kennecott representative manning the Kennecott Observation Point. The tourists also received tidbits of information that were never mentioned by the Kennecott representative (Bray 2007). 

Postcard photograph depicting Copperfield portal 1939 (Strack 2019). 

Once a deal was struck, the child would jump in the car with the tourists and guide them to a private overlook. Eldon Bray’s (a Copperfield resident and author of Copperfield Remembered) favorite spot was on the levels high on the west side of the pit where contract miners working the mines rarely made an appearance. Once done with the tour, the kids would guide the tourist back to the Copperfield portal where the tour guide would receive a tip of 25 cents to a dollar, a good income for a kid at that time (Bray 2007). 

Tourist traffic at the upper portal, Copperfield 1947. Fan at right in dome, control room below traffic light, rolldown door at top of vehicle entrance, revolving pedestrian door at left. Eldon Bray in sports coat in front of tunnel, Max Ivie to Bray’s left in white shirt (Allen nda; Bray 2007;)

There were many places for the children to obtain ore samples. Wandering the hills, they could find samples lying on the ground or embedded in a hillside. There were also numerous mines in the area, both active and abandoned, where samples could be found. A favorite source, and an easy one, were the loaded ore cars from the U. S. Mine waiting to be shipped to the mill in Midvale. Galena, pyrite, and quartz were the most common minerals pilfered from the cars (Bray 2007). Did the U. S. Mine know that their railroad cars were being raided? Probably. Did they care? Apparently not. 

In October 1956, the Bingham-Copperfield tunnel was closed to the public. The observation platform at the Copperfield end had been closed and would later be moved to the northwest rim of the pit at Carr Fork on the Bingham side of the tunnel. Although closed to public traffic, Copperfield residents still used the tunnel to get home (Strack 2019). Unfortunately, the idyllic days at Copperfield were numbered. As the Kennecott mine expanded, it began to encroach upon the margins of Copperfield and the town began to shrink. In June 1958, three dozen families were clearing out of Copperfield and a rooming house, and several apartment buildings were also being vacated. The last 15 families were to leave Copperfield by August 1, 1958, leaving Copperfield, a town that was once home to 2,000 residents, abandoned. Families were also being moved from Carr Fork and the upper end of Main Street in Bingham with the same August 1, 1958, deadline (Sargent 1958).

In April 1960, the County Commission conducted a survey of traffic using the tunnel and found that 300 cars carrying 1,200 men passed through the tunnel. Of those 1,200, 1,195 worked for Kennecott and the other five worked for other mining companies. Public use of the tunnel had dwindled to nothing, and the Commission prepared a document by which the tunnel and its maintenance would return to Kennecott ownership (SLTRIB 15 April 1960:B11). On August 10, 1960, the tunnel returned to Kennecott ownership and would be used for mine access by Kennecott employees and contractors until January 24, 1966 (Bingham Bulletin [BB] 12 August 1960:1; Strack 2019), after which it was closed to all traffic (Bray 2007). In July 1973, in preparation for the pushback at the northeast rim of the mine, the Bingham portal was buried (Strack 2019). 

Burying the Bingham portal July 1973 (Allen ndb; Strack 2019).