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Show Uintah County History Society meets MAESER SPECIAL-Uintah County History Society met at the Golden Age Center February 9, with George Long conducting. Ila Cowan told about publishing the book on Jensen which was recently put on sale. Besides being an addition to the history of the area, it includes many valuable pictures. She also told of the early history of Jensen. The first town was River Dale located on the south side of the Green River where Ashley Creek, enters the Green River. There were stores and a post office. River Dale was later moved to the present town site of Jensen. There were several schools at different people's places. The first school bus was driven by Uncle Jerry Murray. It was a covered wagon with a stove in it. Later the district built a brick school house. A. DeMar Dudley talked of his experiences, ex-periences, being one of the older lifelong life-long residents of the area. He told of the narrow guage Uintah railway used to haul gilsonite from the mines. It was also used to haul the mail, freight supplies, sup-plies, woolbags for the sheepmen, passengers and the bricks for the Bank of Vernal. He told of the hardships dur ing the winter of 1909 with the snow over the Douglas pass and the engine that blew up. About 1938, trucks began to haul gilsonite more cheaply, ending the need of the Uintah railway. He also told about Bridge Day in 1911, this was the biggest event in the area. It was the first brfdge built and ended the use of the ferry boats. People came from all the wards in Vernal, Roosevelt, Provo, Payson and Spanish Fork. Many families came and put up tents and camped for three days to be in attendance at the festivities. Attending were the baseball teams from the area, even a team of soldiers from Ft. Duchesne. Charlie Neal strung lights across the bridge. A gas generator was used to light them. Mr. Dudley told of the community turning out each year in the middle of January for the ice harvest on the Green River. When the ice was about 15 inches thick, it was ready to cut and haul into ice houses to be kept in sawdust for summer use. The next meeting will be March 8 at 2 p.m. |