A forgotten 'ghost town' that was plunged underwater after a dam was built has resurfaced from its watery grave 64 years later. The town of Rockport in Utah, US, disappeared completely in 1957 - five years after the White House green approved the construction of the Wanship Dam.
No more than 200 residents ever lived in the area before it was abandoned entirely, despite it being settled in as early as 1860, according to media reports.
At the time, a total of 27 families still lived in the once thriving little town, located in a narrow part of Weber Valley at the mouth of Three Mile Canyon, reports the Daily Star.
Remnants of a Ghost Town
Utah State Parks said Rockport Reservoir, situated at Rockport State Park in Summit County, has receded to 26% capacity, leading remnants of the town of Rockport to emerge from the water for the first time in years.
Water levels are low in Utah, following a dry summer and a worsening drought situation. As the reservoir has dropped in water volume, pieces of an old town that once existed between Park City and Coalville are visible again.
Drone Test Pilot Devon Dewey Shared Incredible Snaps
Drone test pilot Devon Dewey, who travelled to the site, recently shared striking drone images of the roads and house remnants that could be seen.
"It was really interesting to be standing at an overlook for the reservoir and to see faint traces of foundations of old homes and a road all below where the water would normally be," he told KSL News.
Dewey added the remnants of the former town are clearer from an aerial point of view.
"The whole area is pretty flat and uniform, so even though the foundations are old and mostly gone, you can still see them clearly if you know where to look," he said.
"Using a drone to get a higher perspective helped to see where structures once stood."
Dewey told Newsweek that a few friends knew about the uncovered ghost town and showed him some of their own photos. He went to see it for himself and was "amazed" at how it looked from the air and how many foundations he saw.
Forgotten Utah Town Reappears
Rockport residents at the time protested against the reservoir's development but the White House went ahead and purchased the valley, before submerging the whole community, reported The Independent.
Following this year's drought, the reservoir's boat ramp was closed for the summer. Only small boats and personal watercraft are being allowed on the water, though officials have advised people to do so "at your own risk".
While the land in the photos appears dry, officials say the ground is likely muddy and unstable after decades of being submerged in water - so it's best to observe artefacts revealed by the drought from afar, reported The Weather Network.
