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Show f .04- ; , l'fi, rv.H2 1 -- '. , V ?' JVft ' K 1 ' ' f,. ,w i.,. '.. ? .' , ' 4i-rr- f .? . i S a " ' ' I ' 4 X 'V ''' v t; ,' -- rp : tttif' ,v ,; - ' ' ' ' ag - lkjri? ' ' , . , m- .' '' . '' ?4 , v ;.f. 1 'X " ' ' fi A. Z , k ' 4 '; , .v v'fi ' J ' tf - -! , , a ,? ' . ''. TT" V ' v ' at - -- . ,- i : ', caused ... k, SJ?' ' ?- .. .Hv --v , -- f - - , J ' .. A wVv;r;5. rki? i .; . .v:',!sa ;W 'tp&H-- , 'v, ' ''- v1 - , . . . Y'f v ' ;, - - . ;-V -- ; rX.mFf X r " ' A. , ij . t AtaJli t by inconsiderate vistors to Sego and. s'gn pictured above gives mute testimony to problems rje one At house. this is of town to a large number of petroglyphs in in in addition structures boarding the ghost the area, Sego One of the few remaining large Thompson Canyons. Several of the remaining cabins time in the early 1900s, as many as 500 people lived in the town, located in the Book Cliffs about five miles and pictographs, have been vandalized, although enough remains to make the trip from Moab well worthnorth of Thompson. The remains of a general store are across the road. while for a day of exploration. two-stor- y once-bus- y in few remain a memories and buildings Only was sold in 1955 to a homes in Sego were Sometime around 1910, in the canyon. Ballard sold his property At its peak, about 500 group of investors from moved to Moab, Thompto the American Fuel people resided in Sego. Texas. Several of the son and Fruita. The Sego Company. The company Accommodations ranged built a store and boarding from lt homes to house, along with several simple dugouts. Produchouses. The town was tion costs continued to known as Neslin, after mount and in 1947, the general manager Richard mines were shut down. Neslin. The miners in the area Bom May 31, 1898 in Daisy Florene Allen, 82, As development of the decided to buy the mines Colo, to Byron and died and June Divide, 1980, 22, area continued, the Den- and form the Utah Grand Melissa Akers Davis, she funeral held services were ver and Rio Grande Coal Company. Although Railroad built a spur line an initial success, a fire June 25, 1980 in Hefner came to the area with her into Sego Canyon, the which destroyed a loading Funeral Home Chapel, family around the turn of Ballard and Thompson platform in 1949 cut with interment following the century. She was schooled in Castledon and line. Much of the coal was production sharply, forc- in Grand Valley CemeMoab schools, graduating used to fire the boilers of ing the railroad to drop tery. from high school here. the railroads locomotives. the spur line. A fire in On June 1, 1917 she Travel Accidents, a drought 1950 destroyed a large Max B. Taylor in married and financial problems amount of equipment and focus of Lake City. He died in Salt the little mining parts, plagued June of 1927. She then was in SUCCE class community. At this time Segos death knell ' SUCCE married Dr. I. W. Allen in An (about 1915), the name of sounded shortly thereclass will provide interest- Provo, Ut., in 1931, and the town was changed to after, when the railroad honor in of ed to diesel Utahs switched over Sego, parties with a chance to he died in 1962. A member of the state flower, the sego lily, locomotives, eliminating study and discuss in detail Baptist which grew in abundance the need for coal. The land various aspects of the Community charitmany varied career oppor- Church, she was a tunities which comprise able person and a very active supporter of the old the total travel industry. According to an SUCCE Grand County Hospital and Allen Memorial Hosspokesman, the curriculum content of this pital. She is survived by two includes offering travel agency operation, daughters, Mrs. Neal (Helen) Madsen, Moab, working with and underand Mrs. Kevin B. (Marstanding travel manuals, air fares, tour packages, garet) Sweeney, Los Anreservations, advantages geles, Ca., presently reV of group travel, selling tiring in Moab; a step-sotechniques and other David W. Allen, Moab; 10 'lXi' x, ' grandchildren and six topics. PreThe class will be taught were in death in Moab by Mrs. Gloria ceding her ' VI, " .yrf'two children and a sister, iF V! Maschmeyer, whose W Z',z resume ranges Mrs. Bess Evans of Moab. ' ' "X X Pallbearers were Stanfrom 1966 to the present from TWA hostess to ley Madsen, Charles Nelson, Joe Taylor, William travel agency manager v f ' 4 I r h j and from Alaska to New Ruggeri, Mark Marshall V " and Kyle Bailey. Lester Zealand. The population of Sego was supported by coal mining. There is a seam of coal in Taylor, Philander Bud The class will run from Maxwell and Neldon the canyon, with nuggets and coal dust scattered throughout the area. Most of 7, 18. Christensen July Butch through July the coal mined in Sego Canyon was used by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. or call SUCCE the Stop by were in Moab and Monticello. The above photo Coal was also sold to customers honorary office in Moab to register. shows a tailings pile from one of the mines. by Bill Davis During the first few years of the 20th Century, coal was one of the major industries in Grand County. Several mines were located in the Book Cliffs Some area, north of remnants of the industry can still be seen in the ghost town of Sego, located five miles north of Thompson. , Coal mining was first developed in the area by wn Harry Ballard, a rancher living in Thompson. For a number of years, Ballard hired local workers to mine the coal and transport it to Thompson, where it was sold to local residents. Ballard also provided coal for customers in Moab and Monticello. The coal camp was called, not surprisingly, Ballard. Services Wednesday for Daisy Allen well-bui- well-kno- industry study x two-we- schoolhouse was moved to Thompson, where it can still be seen, just north of town. There are still several houses in the canyon, in various stages of preservation. In Sego itself, the walls of the company store still stand. Time and the weather are taking a heavy toll on the boarding house. In recent years, the roof has fallen in and the walls are beginning to sag. Many dugouts can still be seen near the townsite. A large number of cottonwood trees provide adequate shade for visitors to the empty town. Coal nuggets and dust are scattered throughout the canyon and several mineshafts can still be seen. Additional old cabins can be seen in Thompson canyon, adjacent to Sego Canyon. A BLM sign directs the traveler to each two-sto- Sego the structures. area where the road from damage forks. Along the route, several old wooden bridges which supported the rail line are still visible. The bridges are weak, however, and vehicles should be driven around the bypasses. Near the mouth of the canyon are several Indian pictograph panels. Unall of the fortunately, pictographs and petroglyphs have been heavily vandalized and, in some cases, completely obliter- Thompson ry remaining Sego is a short drive from Moab and can provide an interesting afternoon of exploration for those interested in delving into the past of the area. Washington visitor died Orville F. Moore, 76, of Walla Walla, Washington, died of apparent natural causes at his room in the Greenwell Motel, Monday, June 23, at 6:55 a.m. Investigating Moab Police reported that Moore was being assisted from the bathtub when he collapsed. A Grand County ambulance crew, Sheriff Jim Nyland and Dr. Paul Mayberry responded to the scene. Moore was vacationing with his wife, ated. The road into Sego Canyon is in excellent condition as far as the townsite. The road leads from north directly Thompson past the railroad station. Unlike other former townsites in Grand County, such as Valley City and Castleton, Sego still contains many signs of past activity. Visitors should be careful not to daughter and son-in-la- . w. ek nft n, S 4 i a j t ix 'v , i great-grandchildr- v. X. , w : . . 'V : , i.f ' . - ,: . This stone kiln is located near three small cabins in Thompson Canyon. The homesite is adjacent to the road, bordering a creek bed. The cabins are shaded by several large cottonwood trees. Xi ! TKfjfy-2'- . , This house, located JvJ -- mg at the junction of Sego and Thompson Canyons, is one of the : . i - I ' f,r - ' ; .''.1 and most Several types of construction were used for the homes in Sego and Thompson Canyons, ranging from remaining structures. From this point, the road to Sego continues through a narrow cut in a pie stone dugouts to more elaborate wood structures. Several of the larger homes in the area were later hillside, originally blasted out for a spur railroad line. The dirt roads in both canyons are in excellent con- - moved to Thompson Moab and Fruita. dition. best-preserve- d sim-elabora- |