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Show Butterfield Settlement Now Busy Community -- Sugar House Long known as "Butterfield Settlement" it became Sugar House only after the establishment of the old sugar mill which, incidentally, inci-dentally, didn't make Sugar, the speaker said. Of interest to the many members mem-bers and their wives was the history his-tory of Sugar House given by Mr. Curtis, superintendent of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Improve-ment Ass'n. He recalled the old wool processing proces-sing and weaving plant situated in the mouth of Parley's Canyon; the nail factory, where the pioneers manufactured nails from sheet iron, and an old Co-op store which was located on 21st South and 11th East, and the "Hemley and Emley Bros.," the building of which still stands. The two brothers, both holding fast to a true English spirit, stood firm on the spelling and pronunciation of their name - - - and so the sign went up. The first Sugar House ward was a combined school, chapel and recreation hall. In reviewing the rapid growth of the community, he gave it in terms of the postal volume. In 1940 the average daily amount of mail processed was 23,000 pieces and in 1952 it had grown to between be-tween 75,000 and 80,000 and the area covered had reduced. Reminiscing on early Sugar House he recalled the hilarious times 'enjoyed skating where the Sterling Furniture company now stands, swimming in the creek where the Post Office is; the rows of mulberry trees running north from the Sugar House corner past Ray Nilson's Furniture store on the west side of 11th East. He recalled the horse-drawn fire engines on their way to the fire when the Granite Planing Mill burned, coming along the unpaved 11th East street from the 9th So. station. And he mentioned the fact there were the mule-drawn street cars, even after the turn of the century. Originally "Butterfield Settlement" Settle-ment" was the name given to the community of 1853 with its population pop-ulation of 71 persons. They had settled along Parley's Creek (named for Parley P. Pratt). Later the name of the Canyon Creek ward was given this locality, and finally Sugar House was established es-tablished July 21, 1861, and within its boundaries it contained 22 square miles. The first home was built by Charles Chrismon in what is now Highland Park, and Mr. Curtis recalled re-called the old Curtis home previously pre-viously located on 1975 S. 11th East, where the Bradfield Apartments Apart-ments now stand. Many wards have been created from portions of Sugar House until there now exists in the area literally lit-erally dozens of wards in the Granite, Gran-ite, Sugar House, Highland, Hillside, Hill-side, Grant, Wells, South Salt Lake, Monument Park and other stakes. Mr. Curtis said, "We owe them much. What would Grandfather Young have said, if he had been told that at Sugar House corner, 20,000 persons would be clocked in' one day, entering one store, called K.O.B.?" He added, "The words of President Presi-dent Young' are not always fully quoted for President Young said, 'This is the place! Drive on'!" Mr. Curtis saiJ he had always loved Sugar House and felt that President Young was looking right at Sugar House when he uttered those historic words. After recalling the historic background, back-ground, Mr. Curtis said: "We have come a long way, but the end is not yet. We must not dwell in the past, but 'Drive On to new accomplishments, ac-complishments, new successes." He mentioned the glorious opportunities op-portunities on every hand and urged that Sugar House folk plant nobly and work unitedly that these opportunities might become realities. re-alities. Mrs. Pitt, the speaker said, was a granddaughter of President Brig-ham Brig-ham Young and daughter of (Continued on Page 3-B) Butt erf ield Settlement (Continued from Page 1-B) Charles Decker. Charles Decker was a bodyguard and son-in-law of Brigham Young (having married Pres. Young's second daughter by the first wife). Mr. Decker crossed the plains 58 times, was a Pony Express rider, friend of the Indians In-dians and interpreter to them. 'This Charles Decker plowed around 640 acres of land in what is now Parley's ward. The Decker Ditchf mentioned in many of the abstracts of the vicinity, was named for him. A part of the Decker home and fort still stands back of the new Parley's chapel, now being constructed. The 40 acres on which the cement plant is located in Parley's Canyon was also part of the Charles Decker holdings of those early days," Mr. Curtis said. Albert Perry Rockwood was an early civic and church leader and was an early-day warden of the prison, and with the help of the prison labor, did much work on the old county road (Highland Drive). With this' same help, he built 21 fish ponds to the east of the present Forest Dale golf course. These were known for years as the Rockwood Fish Farm. Samuel Rockwood, son of Albert P., is the father-in-law of Mr. Curtis and related many of the pioneer pio-neer experiences to the speaker. |