The mine was first excavated in 1894, and in the 125 years of its existence, it has produced not even the tiniest nugget of gold. Its seven thousand plus stockholders and supporters are hopeful. They believe that when the time is right, the mine will yield untold amount of gold and treasures enough to see the believers through the worst of times.
The story of the “Dream Mine” starts with John Koyle, a modest, stooped, soft-spoken dirt farmer, and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While serving as a missionary for the church in the southern states, Koyle earned a reputation of being a clairvoyant. One day
he dreamed of two missionaries chased to his house by a mob. The frightened missionaries urged Koyle to join him in fleeing the hostile town, but Koyle insisted in staying. When the agitated mob reached the house, the landlord stopped them at the door and a woman scolded and lectured the mob until they went away. Koyle claimed he was jolted awake from the dream by furious pounding on the door.
The events that followed was an exact replica of his dream—two missionaries had come running to Koyle chased by a mob, Koyle gave them shelter, then the landlord blocked the mob’s approach and a woman turned them away. Another time, while touring some mines in the Mercur and Tintic mining districts, Koyle dreamed of a huge body of rich ore to one side of where the men were digging. Such a body of ore was reportedly discovered some time later, strengthening Koyle’s belief on his own prophetic gifts.
A few years later, in 1894, Koyle’s dreams escalated into visions. He said he was visited by a heavenly messenger, who took Koyle to the nearby mountains and showed him nine caverns full of treasures buried by the ancient Nephites civilization. The angel told him to dig tunnels into the mountain, and that the treasures would provide financial aid during an economic collapse leading up to the Second Coming of Jesus. Koyle claimed that the angel told him about a seven-year drought and famine, during which society will collapse and Utah’s great copper mines and steel mills would close.
