| A train of ballast hoppers being pulled past the Badger Mining Corporation loop track at Utley. Though Utley is still recognized as a geographic location, the city that was once located here no longer exists. This shot was taken from the location of the Utley single room school house which was built in 1844 and closed in 1942. In the late 1800's, Utley had a population of around 500, with the towns main activity being centered around The Wisconsin Granite Company's Quarry No. 69 ( 1909 The Reporter, Volume 42). The town gradually ceased to exist over the next few decades, with the school outlasting the community, serving the children of the rural surrounding area. The quarry mined black granite for use in larger cities, mainly Chicago. Today the quarrying in the immediate vicinity is done by Badger Mining, shipping a tremendous amount of sand, but black granite can also be found piled up. |