OCR Text |
Show Summerfest Parade Program June 2002 A Century of Orem Celebrations marks city's progress and growth Page 4 CLYDE E. WEEKS, JR. Times Correspondent PARTI Everyone likes to celebrate! cele-brate! Individuals celebrate their birthdays. Families Famil-ies celebrate wedding anniversaries. Communities celebrate meaningful events in their history, and in the history of their country. In the City of Orem, the history of community communi-ty celebrations dates back to the very early days, when settlers would gather together once or twice a year on festive occasions of mirth and gaiety. May Day and Pioneer They spliced two poles together and erected a flag pole, sixty feet high, in front of the old Sharon School house. A collection was taken up and a large American flag was purchased. An impressive flag ceremony, celebrating the American victory, was a memorable occasion occa-sion for the many residents, resi-dents, who gathered to witness the event. One hundred and four years ago, that scene was vastly different from the scene, today. There were no roads to clog, and no fireworks to send into the stratosphere. With a handful of people here, eking out a meager In 1950 the Orem City Council called a meeting of civic leaders and organized organ-ized the Orem Boosters, Inc. to take the responsibility for staging Orem's Day (July 24th) were eel- existence on this dry and community celebration. The Board of Directors of the Orem Boosters, Inc. in ebrated each year, and unforgiving 17-square-provided the hard-work-' mile plateau, known as ing residents an oppor tunity to compete in sporting events, dance - and eat together. In 1898, local residents resi-dents were jubilant, when they hear the news the Provo Bench, there was little sense of community, com-munity, and even less reason tq celebrate much of anything There were no refreshment refresh-ment stands in the city of Admiral Dewey's vie- park, and no frosties or tory at Manila, during cold drinks, waiting to the Spanish-American whet the thirsts of cele- War. brants. It was about all Fop m Youp Landscape Reds W00DSTUFF LANDSCAPE SUPPLIES 1954 included (front row - left to right): Meredith Statton, Dale Nelson and Fawn Huish. Back row: Orem City Manager Earl Wengreen, Boosters President Herbert B. Stratton, Hyrum Grant Butler, and Clyde E. Weeks, Jr. the residents could do to time settlers, tackling nearby Geneva Bathing haul enough water from the rattlesnakes and Resort, located at 1600 the Provo River or Utah sagebrush on Provo North, just one mile west Lake to sustain their Bench back in 1861, it of the present Orem City lives and propagate the took 30 years, before the limits. Horse racing, ball crops they needed to population pi the com- games, shooting matches munity exceeded 450 and other games of ath- people. . By 1919 over 1,000 people resided on the Provo Bench and they decided that it was time grow in order to validate their homesteads. With the first part- Garden Time 2002' PURPLE JASPER RED & GREY COBBLE ROCK PEA GRAVEL RIVER ROCK WASHED SAND PAVERS BOULDERS (ALL SIZES) POND LINERS WATERFALL PUMPS STEPPING STONES STEPPING STONES TREE RINGS LAWN EDGING GARDENING BLOCK JAPANESE CONCRETE BRIDGES BENCHES STATUES CAST ALUMINUM LAMPPOSTS TREES SHRUBS PERENNIALS SHREDDED BARK ROCKS (3 SIZES & COLORS) MED. BARK CHIPS SM. BARK CHIPS BARK FINES SOIL PEP (SOIL CONDITIONERS) GARDEN MIX RAINBOW ROCK WHITE MARBLE ROCK NEW THIS YEAR JERICHO R0SE& SOMA ROCKS 7.1 y vk ... . 'mm! 4 41" n F lie 'HW r 4 Mr ill s! i WOODSTOEf So. 19501 M5 EXIT 163 EAST FRONTAGE R0AD.8PEINGVILLE letic prowess were popular, popu-lar, as well as boating, bathing and fishing. Sailboat racing was an exciting sport which to make an incorporated attracted large crowds, town out of this aggrega- On September 15, tion of hard-working 1929, on the division of people. They could see the Utah Stake of the that incorporation was LDS Church, the Sharon the only means to obtain LDS Stake was organ- not only a culinary water ized in Orem, comprising system, out also, an elec- the Edgemont, Grand trie railroad on which they could ship their fruit and produce, as well as ride, themselves, to the great metropolis of Salt Lake City. Now, that was something some-thing to celebrate! And celebrate, they did. On May Day and Pioneer Day, each year, they got together in sporting events, dances and picnics. Their favorite site for these events was the View, Sharon, Timpanogos and Vineyard Wards with a total LDS membership of 3,022 people. Initiated at that time was an annual Sharon Stake Outing, held at the Geneva Resort which would constitute what amounted to the community commu-nity celebration in Orem for the next decade. As described in the July 21, 1933 issue of Continued on page 5 |