| Show Linwood Settled in 1836 Becomes Lively Frontier Village By Kerry Ross Boren As the anniversary anniversary of Daggett County nears a close it is appropriate that we recall the county's first old town Lin Lim Wood Linwood's history pre cedes the county by some 82 years when in 1836 Uncle Jack Robinson the mountain man constructed a cabin on lower Henrys Henry's Fork about three miles west of Flaming G Gorge rge Uncle Jack Robinson was the first resident but o 0 the t h e r early notables were Jim Kit Carson Uncle Dick Wooten Liver Eating Johnson and a n d others Linwood at that earl date served as a trading post for trappers and Indians and thus supercedes ort Fort Bridge Bridger in that capacity TH THE E FIRST man to settle permanently and remain for any length of time was Jim Baker the renowned old moun moun- mountain tarn tain man who firs first entered the region in 1839 From that time u n t i l 1 he moved to Baggs Wyoming in the Baker was the most prominent resident of Linwood Very early Bak Baker r was joined by his brother John who built a cabin cabina a few miles milE farther west on the banks of Henrys Henry's Fork on pro pro- property property perty now occupied by Tom Swett M Many ny young adventurers adventurers and mountain men settled in lodges near John Bakers Baker's cabin and thus arose the first sem sem- semblance blance of a town in that section Some of those we might mention wh who later settled more or less permanently in and about Lin wood Were Dick Son Zebulon and Ike Edwards Duncan and andA Arc A r c h y Blair fo founders of Blairtown n w Rock Springs Wyoming Shadrach Shade Large and others t too o numerous to mention here The town of Linwood Linwood began to take shape more completely when in the early men such as Elijah Li e Driskell and George Hereford h settled there B But t It was not until the outlaw era era interposed itself in inthe Inthe the BOs BO's that Linwood attained it its prominence In its old Linwood could boast of as much gunplay death and disorder as any town In the west including the Tombstones nes Dodge and others which which have been so highly played overplayed Is it any wonder with such n notables tables as Butch Cassidy Sundance Kid Kid Curry Tom McCarty Elza Lay Red Bob Harry Tracy and the Tall Texan as frequent visitors that Linwood came to be Ju as the f favorite way wayn station and supply point of the infamous Outlaw Trail Even the James brothers Frank and Jesse spent a winter in the town BUT THE real roots of the towns town's history are set with the themen themen men who struggled hardest to make it a home a place of fruitful existence coexistence wit w I t h schools hotels and general stores Such men were Marlus Marius N Larsen George Solomon I George Keith KeithSmith KeithSmith Smith George Finch George GeorgeH H Hereford reford and Willard Scho- Scho Schofield field These men brought water from Henrys Henry's Fork and made the mea meadows do w s produce built s s c h o 0 0 01 I s organized c churches h u r c h e s operated mer cantiles blacksmith shops and were active in creating a corn com community George Solo Solo- Solomon mon planted the first trees and from them them came the name name of George Finch and George Here ford were Instrumental In the first schools while Willard Willard Schofield and George helped create the Peoples People's Canal There are others who contributed much which space does not allow to rela relate e In fn its peak daY Linwood could boast of two hotels two boarding houses three stores tw two blacksmith shops a saloon and dance hall and thirty other buildings The town was wit tress ness s to more hi hilt t ry than per per- haps perhaps any other r In the American from the days of early Indians through the trappers outlaws and settlers it stood sm small all in size but large iq il re re- re I TODAY OLD Linwood Is no noI nomore nomore I more Where once proud build ings stood and great and in famous alike walked dusty streets deep water water now abides Perhaps no one remembers any anymore anymore more except the timers old who once lived there that be be- be beneath neath the waters of Flaming Gorge Lake a once great land land- landmark mark of the Old West lies in silent testimony of the tn march of progress |
