Graffiti covers historic mining ruins in Washington County near Leeds

LEEDS, Washington County — The remnants of what was once a booming mining town are not just crumbling but have become a canvas for many graffiti artists.

The historic Stormont Mill Office, located on Red Cliffs National Conservation Area north of Leeds in Washington County, began to crumble late last year, with no known cause. The historic office once managed the booming operations of the silver mining industry in the area known as Babylon. All that is left is a sliver of a wall, covered from top to bottom, front to back, in graffiti.

"It's upsetting," said resident Gerry Reposa. "When you are on public lands, you need to respect public lands. It's our land; it's for all of us to enjoy."

The toppled wall, part of a structure built in the late 1800s, sits on what used to be privately owned land. That land was granted to the Virgin River Land Preservation Association, which oversaw it for about 10 years. Board member Chris Blake said the goal was always to preserve the area, with the hope that "people leave it."

"It was there for a lot of years," Blake told KSL, adding that an additional goal was to get the Bureau of Land Management to oversee the area. That land exchange happened approximately a year and a half ago, and BLM public affairs specialist JD Mallory said that the agency is aware of the damage and vandalism.

"Based on currently available information, portions of the historic wall reportedly collapsed sometime during or before September 2025," Mallory said in a statement given to KSL. "At this time, there is no evidence confirming whether the wall collapsed naturally or as a result of human activity.

"Graffiti was later reported on the remaining historic walls during the first week of February, with additional graffiti documented since then."

Reposa, who frequents the area, visiting nearby abandoned mines, petroglyphs and dinosaur tracks, confirmed that the paint on the remnants of the wall is fairly new. He said that it's been hard to watch the steep decline of what used to be a timeless treasure.

"It bums me out," he said. "I think we're better than this. I think we can do better as a public. I think we need to police our own. If we see something, say something.

"When people visit these public areas, be a steward of the environment," he added. "You don't have to be a tree-hugger. I call myself a recreationist. I like to hike. I like to ride my side-by-side. ... If I do that, I want to stay on trail. I want to pack it in, pack it out. I want to conserve it for the next family that comes. I don't want my kids to see graffiti and think that's OK to do, because it's not."

Reposa said that, along with people being stewards unto themselves and others, he hopes to see more law enforcement in the area.

"Somebody should come at least once a week and police it," he said. "Check for damage. Check the petroglyphs. Check the dinosaur tracks. Check to see if any existing buildings on the property are not damaged. If so, do the investigative work to see how that might have happened.

"The damage here? Maybe the walls weren't punched over. Maybe they just fell over. But the graffiti is a completely different issue."

Mallory said that since becoming aware of the site conditions, "BLM law enforcement and staff have been monitoring the area and addressing vandalism where possible," adding that they are "reviewing available information related to recent vandalism."

Anyone who has any information about damage or graffiti at the site is asked to contact BLM law enforcement at 435-688-3332.

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