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| Photographer Unknown |
A brochure about the site states "The site of Spiral Jetty was chosen by the artist for the lake's unusual ecological and geological properties. The reddish coloration of the water, caused by the high presence of microbes, initially attracted Smithson to the north arm of the lake. the spiral shape alludes to the molecular lattice of the salt-crystal deposits found throughout the lake's expanse, and in forming the work he chose to use basalt boulders of hardened lava found along the peninsula, scattered remnants of the now extinct volcanoes in the area.
"The fractured landscape, fluctuating water levels, and the water's salinity also speak of the artist's preoccupation with the concept of entropy. Smithson envisioned an artwork in a state of constant transformation whose form is never fixed and undergoes decay from the moment of its creation. His thinking was equally shaped by his understanding of the third law of thermodynamics as well as a fascination in science fiction and popular science."
In 1970 there was a drought and the lake water level was low, so Smithson used a tractor with a front loader to move 6,000 ton of black basalt from the adjacent hills to form the 1,500-foot-long 15-foot wide counterclockwise coil that extended from the shoreline toward the lake. Then, in 1972, the lake's water level rose and submerged the sculpture. The sculpture remained submerged until 2002, when the lake's water level again dropped and the sculpture resurfaced. It is now possible to walk completely around the sculpture without getting your feet wet -- then you can walk a few more feet and get your feet wet in the Great Salt Lake!
And, if you are energetic, you can build your own Spiral Jetty!
Spiral Jetty is located about 19 miles from the nearest paved road. Leaving the paved road, the first five miles are a well-maintained washboard-gravel road and the remainder of the trip is on a somewhat maintained dirt trail. A high-clearance vehicle is recommended, but passenger cars can make the trip during dry weather conditions.
The nearest services are about 50 miles away in Corinne, so keep a full tank of gas and bring your own food and water. A sign in front of the Gold Spike restaurant in Corinne states that they have the "Best Hamburgers in Utah," which according to my tasting crew may be true.
Corinne (population 685) was founded in 1869 by a group of non-Mormon businessmen who wanted to compete with the Mormon "Saints" for railroad business. The population of Corinne grew to about 1,000 non-Mormon residents and Corinne became known as the "Gentile Capital of Utah." Because of its non-Mormon population, "Corinne reflected a very different atmosphere and culture from the staid and quiet Mormon settlements of Utah, containing not only a number of commission and supply houses but also fifteen saloons and sixteen liquor stores, with an elected town marshal to keep order in this 'Dodge City' of Utah."
A few years after the rail lines were linked at Promontory Summit, Brigham Young convinced the railroads to locate the main switching terminal in Ogden. Brigham Young then built a rail line from Ogden to Franklin (Idaho), which devastated Corinne's economy and the town was almost completely abandoned. Over the years, a few Mormons and non-Mormons have moved back to Corinne.
Unfortunately, while we were passing through Corinne someone's house caught fire and burned to the ground. Such a terrible tragedy!
On Memorial Day weekend we visited the Golden Spike National Historic site to attend a reenactment of the first two railroads that were linked together at Promontory Summit (Utah) to form the first Trans-Continental railroad line. During the reenactment, the railroad workers fastened the last rails together with a replica of the original gold spike that was used on May 10, 1869 to complete the rail system. All of the presenters involved in the reenactment were dressed in period clothing and gave the same original speeches.
While we were in the area , we also revisited the Orbital ATK rocket facility. (see RonnieAdventure #0218, August 26, 2016)
Sophia is now designing and making her own line of jewelry, which she modeled for us on various occasions.
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