The Tooele Valley Museum is a place to preserve and learn about the industrial, mining, and military history of Tooele. We are dedicated to education and maintaining a space where all can learn. We are committed to providing an inclusive, safe environment for all of our visitors.
It is our belief that the cultural and local history of the Tooele Valley be shared with everyone. Learning about the past can help us to better appreciate the deep roots that we have here in Tooele.
Watch for different activities happening at the Museum and Historic Park throughout the year, and/or schedule a tour to come and visit. Call 435.843.2143 to schedule a tour.
Dedicated to preserving and sharing culture and local, industrial and military history of Tooele County, the Tooele Valley Museum is spread over more than three acres on the site of the Tooele Valley Railroad Complex. The site is listed on the United States of America National Register of Historic Places.
The museum was founded to remember the mining and smelting history of Tooele. As part of that mission, we have obtained a rock and mineral collection. We have a permanent exhibit about the various minerals found in Tooele County, and an activity station that teaches how to identify rocks and minerals.
We have a steam engine #11 on our property that was part of the Tooele Valley Railway. We use it to teach about train history and about the power of steam.
The first part of our collection is about mining history. Workers at the International Smelter & Refining Co and the Tooele Valley Railway founded the museum and donated our first artifacts. Since then, the museum has collected many artifacts, photos, and documents about mining in the county. We always have an exhibit about the smelter and Carr Fork mine. We rotate artifacts into the gallery in special exhibits.
The second part of our collection is about the military. We have artifacts and photos that span from World War II to the present. Tooele County has a long military history. The military has been vital to the formation of the county. In return, the military history of the county has played a role in national and international history. We have a permanent display of military items in once Air Force rail car on the property.
The third part of our historical collection is cultural history of the county. We have a collection of items from Tooele city and county government history. We use these materials to teach the fundamentals of local government and urban history. We are building a permanent exhibit for these items in the Station House on our property.
Immigrants and migrants from a variety of backgrounds came together to build Tooele County. Our museum tells the story of these different groups, and the conflicts and compromises that led to creating a community. We are building a permanent exhibit for these items in the Station House on our property.
Looking for a place to hold a family event, birthday party, etc.? Look no further! If you would like to hold your special event at the Tooele Valley Museum & Historic Park, please email us at tooelevalleymuseum@tooelecity.gov or call 435.843.2143.
This tour was created as part of the Spike150 project to commemorate the importance of railroad history in Utah. Thank you to everyone who gave suggestions and comments on how to improve our tour.
This tour was created for everyone. Its design gives you the option of choosing what kind of tour you want to have. Think of it as a create-your-own-adventure experience. You can walk, ride, or drive. Start at any stop and take them in any order. At each stop there are options to decide what topic you want to learn about.
If you walk from the golf course to City Park and back, you will have walked 3.1 miles or 5 kilometers. That is almost 7,000 steps! Check out Tooele’s new bike routes on Vine Street. If you opt to walk, there are sidewalks almost the entire route. There are several lovely parks along the route to take a break.