Editing Moab, Utah (section)

===Later years===
Moab's economy was originally based on agriculture, but gradually shifted to mining. [[Uranium]] and [[vanadium]] were discovered in the area in the 1910s and 1920s.{{Citation needed|date=April 2017}} [[Potash]] and [[manganese]] came next, and then oil and gas were discovered.{{Citation needed|date=April 2017}} In the 1950s Moab became the so-called "Uranium Capital of the World" after geologist [[Charles Steen]] found a rich deposit of uranium ore south of the city.<ref name= moabhistory/> This discovery coincided with the advent of the era of [[nuclear weapon]]s and [[nuclear power]] in the United States, and Moab's boom years began.<ref name="Utah History Encyclopedia"/>

The city population grew nearly 500% over the next few years, bringing the population to near 6,000 people. The explosion in population caused much construction of houses and schools. Charles Steen donated a great deal of money and land to create new houses and churches in Moab.<ref>[http://moabtimes.com/view/full_story/2795539/article--Charles-Steen--1919-2006 Moab Times]</ref>

With the winding down of the [[Cold War]], Moab's uranium boom was over, and the city's population drastically declined. By the early 1980s a number of homes stood empty, and nearly all of the uranium mines had closed.{{Citation needed|date=April 2017}}

In 1949, [[Western (genre)|Western]] movie director [[John Ford]] was persuaded to use the area for the movie ''[[Wagon Master]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-sep-20-ca-secondlook20-story.html|title = Archives|website = [[Los Angeles Times]]| date=20 September 2009 }}</ref> Ford had been using the area in [[Monument Valley]] around [[Mexican Hat, Utah]], south of Moab, since he filmed ''[[Stagecoach (1939 film)|Stagecoach]]'' there 10 years earlier in 1939. A local Moab rancher (George White) found Ford and persuaded him to come take a look at Moab.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/45170/MOAB-MOVIES--RESIDENT-HAD-LEADING-ROLE-IN-ATTRACTING-FILMMAKERS.html|title = Moab Movies: Resident Had Leading Role in Attracting Filmmakers|website = [[Deseret News]]|date = 4 May 1989}}{{dead link|date=November 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> The Moab to Monument Valley Film Commission is a Moab City Department<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://moabcity.org/152/Departments|title=Departments &#124; Moab, UT - Official Website}}</ref> and holds the title of the longest running film commission in the world. Established in 1949,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.filmmoab.com/ |title=Home |website=filmmoab.com}}</ref> the commission has overseen the production of the many movies filmed near Moab.

In recent years, Moab has experienced a surge of [[vacation property|second-home]] owners.{{Citation needed|date=April 2017}} The relatively mild winters and enjoyable summers have attracted many people to build such homes throughout the area. In a situation mirroring that of other [[resort town]]s in the [[American West]], controversy has arisen over these new residents and their houses, which in many cases remain unoccupied for most of the year. Many Moab citizens are concerned that the town is seeing changes similar to those experienced in [[Vail, Colorado|Vail]] and [[Aspen, Colorado|Aspen]] in neighboring [[Colorado]]: skyrocketing property values, a rising cost of living, and corresponding effects on local low- and middle-income workers.<ref>Stiles, Jim. ''Brave New West: Morphing Moab at the Speed of Greed''. Tucson, Arizona: [[University of Arizona Press]], 2007</ref><ref>[http://www.hcn.org/issues/199/10379 "Luxury looms over Moab"] ''High Country News'', March 26, 2001</ref>

<gallery mode="packed">
File:Steen's $11 million dollar Uranium Reduction Co. Moab,Utah.jpg|Charlie Steen's $11 million Uranium Reduction Co. that became the Atlas Uranium Mill
File:County-sponsored sign promoting manufacturing in Moab during the early 1970s.jpg|County-sponsored sign promoting manufacturing in Moab during the early 1970s
File:Uranium Building, Moab.jpg|Uranium building's historic storefront, 2019
File:Lin Ottinger’s eccentric rock shop, Moab.jpg|A rock shop, 2019
</gallery>