Spring City Area Study, Spring City

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS UTAH,20-SPRICI,1-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Spring City, a typical Mormon village in its layout, has generous lots, broad streets and a generally spacious character. Its architecture dates primar- ily from to and encompasses a broad spec- trum of local building materials including logs, adobe, limestone, clapboard and brick. Declining population has brought the abandonment of many structures; there has been little new construction since World War I. The many remaining buildings create a remarkably complete impression of the late nineteenth century milieu. PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION: # A, Physical History and Historical Events: Spring City is situated on Canal Creek, fifteen miles north- east of Manti, Utah. It was settled in the spring of by James Allred, James T. S.

Allred, and fifteen families sent from Salt Lake City to colonize the Sanpete valley. They proceeded at once to build the typical settlement fort for protection from Indian attack, and to farm the surrounding lands. They named the settlement Springtown, which remained as the official title until February 11, when it was incorporated as a city and renamed Spring City. The first season of settlement was seriously challenged by Indian attacks, and the pioneers were finally forced to abandon their fort and move to Manti for protection. The Indians burned their fort and dwellings on January 6, and the colonists began the settlement of Ephraim, Utah.

Another attempt was made to colonize their original settle- ment in which was more successful, although they were forced to abandon the settlement for a while again in due to the persistently hostile Indians. The leaders in the resettlement were George Blair, R. N. Allred and C. G. Larsen. SPRING CITY AREA STUDY HABS No. U-70 {Page 2) As matters settled somewhat, the townspeople turned to the pursuits of agriculture, stockraising, wool growing, lumbering and other rural pursuits. Oolite stone was ., . --> < -) '--.pi1' quarried for shipment to Salt Lake City and the larger * '- settlements. In the Rio Grande Western Railroad extended its line from Thistle southward to Spring City, bringing new markets to the settlement, and promoting further expansion.

The first sidewalk paving was done in and State Highway 89 was paved through town in the summer of Samuel Willis Allred and Amundsen and Olsen were the first sidewalk contractors. In the Spring City Light and Power Company was organized to install and equip an electric light and power plant for the city. The owners were Jacob Johnson, Simon Beck, J. M. Johnson and Emil Erickson, also shareholders in the Spring City Roller Mills. The power plant was housed in a room of the flour mill building; Stanley Crawforth of Manti was the engineer in charge. In Spring City took over the light plant and moved it to the mouth of Oak Creek Canyon.

Water was piped into town from mountain springs in Louis Barney built the first saw mills in the late and early and in John Larsen built a shingle mill at the mouth of Oak Creek Canyon, which was destroyed by a flood in A mill was purchased in Fairview, Utah by Larsen and moved to Black Canyon. It was still being operated in In the first co-op store was organized, and in was incorporated. It was a financial success until destroyed by fire in Sources of Information: 1. Primary and unpublished sources: Sanborn Map of Spring City, May, Sanborn Map Company, New York City, 2