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History and
Genealogy |
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HISTORIC PLACES
| Along the Rio de San Cosme/ Dom. Esc.
ALONG THE RIO DE SAN COSME On July 29, 1976, Fathers Francisco Atanasio Dominguez and Silvestre Velez de Escalante led an expedition party of ten horsemen from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to establish an overland route to Monterey, California, while spreading the Catholic faith to the native peoples they hoped to meet along the way. After crossing the Green River, the expedition continued west through the Uinah Basin striking the Duchesne River on September 17th at its junction with the Uintah River. Following west up the Duchesne River, which the Padres named the Rio de Cosme, Escalante reported seeing ruins "of a very ancient pueblo where there were fragments of stone for grinding maize, jars and pots of clay. The pueblo's shape was circular as indicated by the ruins now almost completely in mounds." The thickets and marshy land along the Duchesne River in the vicinity of present-day Myton slowed their journey and forced the expedition to backtrack, make detours, and cross and recross the river several times. However, Escalante was greatly impressed with the land and at the September 18th campsite, named Santa Catarina de Sera and located a mile north of the present community of Duchesne, he wrote in his journal, "There is a good land...and plenty of it for farming with the aid of irrigation - beautiful poplar groves, fine pastures, timber and firewood not too far away, for three good settlements." | |
Site Information | |
| Location: | E Hwy. 40 MYTON DUCHESNE County Small park at Myton turn-off, S. side of road |
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Duchesne EARLY DUCHESNE SETTLEMENT Explorers, trappers and traders, were here before Brigham Young sent a group in 1861 to prepare the way for Mormon colonization, but in October 1861 the U.S. government set apart Uintah Valley for an Indian Reservation. In 1905 a portion was opened for white settlement. June 6, 1905, A.M. Murdick, Daughter Dora, and Sugoosie Jack (Indian) with 52 men organized a town called Dora, later Theodore, then Duchesne. This bell was used for school, church, curfew, and as fire alarm for many years. On monument back, 2 round plaques (4" dia.): A: This brick from Old Duchesne School built 1902, replaced 1935 and torn down. Initials are of two students Dave Holdaway and Vera Fitzwater 1918 (brick, above, embedded in concrete) B: Erected June 1955 Jack Titzwater Allen Bond Weston Bates | |
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| Location: | 150 W Main Street DUCHESNE DUCHESNE County In City Park, Hwy. 40 |
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Father Escalante FATHER ESCALANTE In commemoration of the Catholic priest, Father Escalante, who, in 1776 came into Utah. He crossed the Green River at Jensen, and camped two days at that place. His diary shows that he camped at the junction of Strawberry and Duchesne Rivers one night and then traveled on northwest up through what he called "The Canyon of the Swallows." This is the canyon in which Ivie's Ranch is now located. This became an important intersection in Pioneer days as distances were reckoned from this point. | |
Site Information | |
| Location: | 600 E River Road DUCHESNE DUCHESNE County E. of Hwy. 40, over the bridge on the river |
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First Bell FIRST BELL PURCHASED FOR THE ROOSEVELT SCHOOL 1907 Later used for curfew and fire alarm by city, Dec. 20, 1915 until erected by D.U.P. July 1945 | |
Site Information | |
| Location: | 70 E Lagoon Street ROOSEVELT DUCHESNE County In front of Library |
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First Indian Agency FIRST INDIAN AGENCY In 1865, a treaty was signed requiring the Indians to move to the Uintah Reservation which had been established by Brigham Young in 1851. Lieutenant Pardon Dodds, the first official Indian Agent, built a log cabin and fort in 1864 on the upper Duchesne River one mile above Tabiona, which was used by soldiers during Indian uprisings. The Agency was moved to Ft. Duchesne in 1868. Later the fort was burned and rocks from the chimney, which stood as a landmark for many years, were used to build this monument. | |
Site Information | |
| Location: | Hwy. 35 TABIONA DUCHESNE County Center of town, in front of Sagebrush Inn |
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Lake Boreham CCC Memorial LAKE BOREHAM In memory of Charles F. Borham CCC enrollee who was killed while working as a mechanic on this project. CCC Co. No. 1968, Camp BR-11 | |
Site Information | |
| Location: | 8960 W 8150 S Bridgeland MYTON DUCHESNE County W. of Myton at Midview Reservoir, on hill |
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Lake Fork LAKE FORK After 1861 this area was an Indian reservation until opened for settlement in 1905. Homesteaders arrived, cleared land, dug ditches, planted crops and built cabins. Home erected by David Richardson, moved here, became first post office; Rhoda Barker, postmistress. Bell adornment hung in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building erected on this site, also used for recreation and school; William Neal, first teacher. Lake Fork was renamed Upalco. | |
Site Information | |
| Location: | 1200 W 480 South UPALCO DUCHESNE County Hwy. 87, main intersec. in town, next to Relic Hall |
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Moonlake MOONLAKE First called Lake Fork, this area was homesteaded 1905. Settlers platted sites for Mountain Home, Boneta, and Talmage; hauled water from Lake Fork River, dug irrigation canal, built homes, threshed first crops of wheat with flail for seed and flour, carried mail weekly from Duchesne. Opened post office in Andrew Madsen's home, 1908. Mountain Home residents fired brick for schoolhouse, Margaret Moffitt, teacher. The three towns were combined into Moonlake Ward, Aug. 27, 1972. Plaque B: List of names of 1977 DUP members | |
Site Information | |
| Location: | N Hwy. 87 TALMAGE DUCHESNE County Between Bonita & Talmage, parking lot of LDS Church Bldg |
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Myton MYTON In 1866-7, U.S. Army made road to Price and bridge across Duchesne River. At this point Henderson's Indian trading post, Caldwell's stage station and blacksmith shop were erected. In 1905, Army surveyed townsite named for H.P. Myton, Supt. Indian Affairs. It became a booming frontier gateway including hotels, bank, flour mill, and newspaper, "The Uintah Chieftain." Homesteaders started churches, school, theater and sports. First town board pres., Hayden Calvert, Wm. Zowe, postmaster. | |
Site Information | |
| Location: | 500 E 500 S. MYTON DUCHESNE County Myton City P ark |
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Over Almost Impassible Terrain OVER ALMOST IMPASSIBLE TERRAIN... Suspicious of the strong Indian leading them even farther west into unknown territory, the two Spanish priests and their party of horsemen struggled through the canyon of the Strawberry River. Fray Francisco Atanacio Dominguez and Fray Sylvestra Velez de Escalante had left Santa Fe late July 1776 hoping to find a new route to Montery, California, and seeking sites for future missions on the way. While in western Colorado they met the Ute Indian (who they named Silvestre), who was now guiding them to his homeland on the shore of Utah Lake. An 11-year old Ute boy that they named Juaquin also traveled with them. Their route led through deep ravines and brush gullies, possibly to avoid being sighted by hostile Indians. Escalante's diary entry for September 19, 1776 states: "We descended to (the Strawberry River)..making several turns over almost impassible terrain, either because of so much rock or the rock-cliff precipices that are here. One of them caused one of our horses to be injured, and made us backtrack about a mile and descend to another meadow of the river. We crossed it by breaking through some bosque osier and tall bamboo-reed, and at half a league swung for the northwest by taking the channel bed of an arroyo for our route, ascending the sierra and leaving (the Strawberry River) behind." The "arroyo" through which they left the canyon is Rabbit Gulch,, directly across Starvation Lake to the right (north) of the bridge. In later days and months the Dominguez-Escalante Expedition found their friendly Indians in Utah Valley, but had a desperate journey through the canyon country on their return to Santa Fe. | |
Site Information | |
| Location: | W Hwy.40 DUCHESNE DUCHESNE County At Strawberry River bridge, 4.5 mi. W. of Duchesne |
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Roosevelt ROOSEVELT In 1905 William H. Smart, Uintah Stake President, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, supervised the colonization of reservation homesteaders. Ephraim Lambert was appointed bishop. Dry Gulch Irrigation Co., organized, R.S. Collett, President. In 1906 townsite, in center of Uintah Basin, platted by Edgar F. Harmston, Ward E. Pack, and J.C. Homes; Roosevelt Mercantile built, Joseph Hardy, Manager. School began 1907, N.C. Cable, teacher. First flour mill built by C.C. Larsen. | |
Site Information | |
| Location: | E Hwy. 40 ROOSEVELT DUCHESNE County W. of town, roadside park Hwy. 40 |
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Roosevelt Bust Monument ROOSEVELT CITY 1906 Namesake of the great President Theodore Teddy Roosevelt Dedicated to those great settlers who developed a proud heritage for a progressive city. Plaque B: (Other side) List of donors | |
Site Information | |
| Location: | 400 S Main Street ROOSEVELT DUCHESNE County Small park |
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Saint Rose Phillipine Duchesne SAINT ROSE PHILLIPINE DUCHESNE Aug. 29, 1769 - Nov. 18, 1852 According to one tradition, the Duchesne River was named after Mother Rose Phillipine Duchesne. Mother Duchesne and the Catholic Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, had started schools in Missouri. The children of many of the early pioneer trappers and explorers had attended her school. Among them was the neice of Gen. William Ashley, Anne Stegar, who became a nun in her community. Mother Duchesne was also the godmother for Gen. William Clark's daughter. Gen. Clark was from the Lewis & Clark expedition. It can be a real possibility that one of the early travelers through the Uinta Basin named the Duchesne River after this holy and well-respected nun. Mother Duchesne came to America in 1818. She and her nun companions settled in St. Charles, Missouri to start a school and train teachers. Her greatest desire was to work among the Indian nations. She was only able to realize that desire at 71 and for only one year because of poor health. The Potowatomi people called her "the woman who always prayed". Because of the recognized holiness of her life, Pope John Paul II, is canonizing her a Saint in Rome on this 3rd day of July, 1988. | |
Site Information | |
| Location: | 200 W Main Street DUCHESNE DUCHESNE County Hwy. 40 in City Park |
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The Bell of Neola THE BELL OF NEOLA The first white settlers came to Neola in 1906. By 1912 a log school house had been erected which served for all public meetings. The bell displayed on this monument was purchased by donation in 1916 and placed on the building to call the children to school and the people to church. Neola is an Indian name meaning: "The Last Move." | |
Site Information | |
| Location: | 2050 W 9000 North NEOLA DUCHESNE County Hwy. 121, center of town, Church grou nds |
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The Nine Mile Road THE NINE MILE ROAD The Nine Mile Road was built by the all black 9th U.S. Cavalry under the command of Major F.W. Benteen in 1886-87. With altitudes less than 7,400' it was considered "all season" and linked Fort Duchesne, Utah with the nearest railhead, Price, Utah. Referred to in official army records as the "Nine Mile Road," it was named after the largest and most beautiful canyon through which it meanders. Rich in history and legend it has been proclaimed the greatest contribution the army made in the Uintah Basin. When the Uintah-Ouray Indian Reservation was opened to non-Indian settlement in 1905, this was the main route taken by over 15,000 homesteaders. It was traveled by such famous names as Roosevelt, Sheridan, Randlett, and Benjamin O. Davis, Sr., the first black to rise to the rank of general in the United States Armed Forces. Such infamous characters as Butch Cassidy, Sundance Kid, and other members of the "Wild Bunch" also rode its path. For almost 35 years, it was the route of the telegraph line and served the stage coach lines, freighters and the U.S. Mail. By 1920 the Nine Mile Road ceased to be the main artery into the Great Uintah Basin of Utah. Today the Nine Mile Road is considered one of Utah's richest historic landmarks. | |
Site Information | |
| Location: | 6000 W 9450 South MYTON DUCHESNE County 2 Mi., from Hwy. 40 |
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Together, We Have Come A Long Way TOGETHER, WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY. This plaque is dedicated to those early pioneers of Moon Lake Electric Association, whose persistence and foresight enabled the residents of this area to enjoy the benefits of central station electricity. Their efforts rescued the housewife from a world of drudgery. A hundred household tasks were revolutionized for the housewife, and the farmer quickly learned that a single electric motor could do more work than several steady workers. No longer would children have to do their homework from the light of a kerosine lamp. Moon Lake Electric Association began with a single hand-written letter from Shirley K. Daniels to the Rural Electrification Administration. Working with Mr. Daniels were Ed Conklin, Chester Hartman, Ed Holder, Henry A. Wathen, John Thorson, F.C. Watterson, Delbert Shiner, George E. Stewart, Jr., and Zella Rust. Together with friends and neighbors, these pioneers forged ahead collecting deposits and holding community informational meetings. After many difficult obstacles were overcome, Moon Lake Electrical Association became incorporated at a public meeting held at the Altamont High School on Oct. 6, 1938. Through the hard work and dedication of many people, Moon Lake Electric is more than just a supplier of electricity. It is a heritage of service, a standard of independence. Your cooperative, operated by and for you, exists for your benefit. | |
Site Information | |
| Location: | Main Street/Hwy. 87 ALTAMONT DUCHESNE County In front of Moon Lake Electric Assoc., Inc. Source: www://history.utah.gov - Transcribed by Amanda Jowers |
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