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Show r C2 Vernal Express "ter 24 2003 e Local businesses have been alive and kickin since 1888 forthnght manner by Maureen Spencer Express Writer V. ' t tlr- ' . - i th j ) ,i s it'-c-- t. i"i . s 'li t BuMrkN ! tt.p ' , i. t, h s K t nt week I ' t'UM'ii II u i t how well the local ( the business see- - nen 11 nine lreiuenily change or directions user , 'v quite relocating to lu patterns The con- - , 'i a little mfomia- - s Kilt' i I eit t Id or 12" xpresx staff t lea-.- the amnafs up i Symposium Ivppy and healthy sn Vin il and the sutnnind- have rui'cted die technique . uniM i 1903 '"ii eh t'l - it t Kinesses be very old. pt the same name u "old old is A Idly . ntu pteneurs were 46, .ii n.uk lor long term suc- s ii d still going s employee scanned the cur-- i IpukiiiiH biisinesses over 40 oi 12 candidates exploded t s ' t ii i n 11 n . i a c ' i ' t a on i i e' home Memones had on the community that they Mile i businesses had changed all iit u ''! t ii ns. but had reached their cur-,"- i on the shoulders of the hard ;i is. and shouldn't be omitted. . h How me is the list of venerable ' o who answered their phones who lesponded to pleas lor mfor-- 1 i. ol m then ow n words) sketches will bung back us eoiie by 'v ho in that by identifying the back- ci i It t ownei s. business duce- "I.ii taies, the area weren't "in" Vernal. its iii i i te ' louimg Timbuktu" until min i i I i i ' r . i I s p. 1910 Uintah Stat. Bank-19- 10 The Uintah State Bank opened August 10, 1910, in the present location of Wells Fargo Bank. The Bank underwent ownership changes before becoming First Security Bank which was more recently purchased by Wells Fargo. The building went through updates and renovations. All recorded material was hand written by the girls at the bank, early bank employee Henry Schaefermeyer recalls. Uintah State Bank did appraisals and general banking when it opened. ' t i Zions Bank-19- 03 Vernal's original community financial institution, now known as Zion's Bank, is where decisions are In ' 86, Mormon pioneer Samuel made locally. Over the Benmon founded the Ashley Valley Co-onext few decades, the volume of money deposited into the Co-o- p necessitated the establishment of a bank. In 1903. Bank of Vernal was organized by community leaders. S M. Browne, William P. Colthorp, Nicholas J. Meagher, Sammuel R. Bennion, Harden Bennion and John R. Reader. Soon, the bank outgrew its original headquarters and in 1916, Bank of Vernal built a new office from bricks shipped 407 miles by Parcel Post. This cost savings means of transporting building materials prompted the U.S. Postal Service to impose t limit on the weight of its daily shipments. Bank of Vernal became Zions First National Bank in 1974. Decisions are still made locally by employees who are active members of the Uintah Basin communiZions employees carry on the pioneering spirit of ty community banking in Vernal. They volunteer teaching financial education at local schools, they participate in the stock show, and they help paint the homes of elderly residents every year. i s.'s, Coca Cola plant-191- 2 Calder originally founded the Coca Bennion Hyrum Cola Franchise in Vernal, and his sons James Hamilton Calder, David Hamilton Calder and Grant H . Calder v A-- r ,s, .T 'TO- 4 . - ' ' : . . Ji .v- 'yt yj f A ,'ioiu - ! ?V '.I1 iii '' i i ..I ." "ll t CM, .1 i 'tnictuie, that more m I,,il biiMiiesspeople, .i i it an ( .iImiiiiIc-ISS- limp ns d hi eh nil Mini.'' i ( 1. ' pi SMS and its piedecessor iiiiln l0 I (iiKonite and XXX a biand name lot the mineral .'n .. imitubiic llns unique mineral - iiM! m ini 'mi piodtkis piimanlv in dark-- i i ill "b ii d pi paints ml well dulling muds ..'dll I'lill. a, ,'t moditieis. tmuidl sands additives k Ii. ink al piodiicts .' SI 3' i. w odd ,oi tuppliei oi uim.ilute products Hi ms 'b1, on i horn ihe Honaila Mine site and a kt d O' d it in out b i tounines around the Show alter Ford-193- 5 Show alter Ford has been operating in Vernal for 68 years. The Ford franchise was first purchased in 1935 by Clarence W. Show alter. His son, Don Showalter was a partner. In 1941 Don purchased his fathers interests and sold an interest to V. Fred Washburn. When Washbum retired, Dons son purchased Washburns ti c. R.W. Bob Jones Trucking-194- 0 Many Vernal businesses can claim many generations in the family business. Wjie Jones knows hes reaching jnto other areas to share his familys pride, Jiut his business actually had its beginnings four generations ago in Oklahoma when A.W. Jones opened his business of moving oil rigs with horse teams. His son H.W. Jones split off and opened a similar business in Illinois, still moving rigs with teams. But in 1940, in the midst of World War II petroleum needs, when R.W. Bob Jones came to eastern Utah to work the Artesia Field, trucks were introduced to the oil rig moving dynasty. His son Wayne and daughter Rosemary Gondek now run the business. Wayne has a son in the business now. R.W. Bob Jones trucking has done the same work all of these generations-th- ey tear dowji drilling rigs, move them and put them back up. They are a specialized carrier in oil field equipment. When Bob opened in Vernal the business was just him. At present there are about 50 employees. The only guaranteed day off is Christmas day. Wayne Jones says his business is characterized by honest and good service. i a ' 'It W hi; w - operated the original business with the Calder Dairy. To some it makes sense milk and soft drinks are both drinks! James Hamilton Calder and wife, Ann, are the current owners of the business that markets everything from w ater to the core soft drink package of Coca Cola and Sprite to new age soft drink beverages. An estimated 400.000 combined cases of product are sold through the Calders 760 North Vernal Avenue Coca-Col- a Bottling Company annually. 1920 i .1 i- ,,-- a i i (uisi'ii'i I The Antlers-193- 2 Chuck and Royal Hendersons father. Judge Henderson, originally built and owned West Uintah Cabins, where the Antlers stands today. Clayton L. Simmons then purchased West Uintah cabins on July 28, 1945, from Dutch and Pauline Hazelbush. The fall of 1945 Jack Simmons came home from the Each cabin had a garage and above all the navy. garages were antlers. Jack said look at all the antlers and the name stuck. On April 1, 1966, Claytons sister Carolyn and husband, the late Hal Duke, purchased the Antlers from Clayton. Carolyn owns the Best Western Antlers today, and daughter Judith Vierra manages the business which consists of 44 units, outdoor pool and kiddie pool, exercise room and hot tub, and playground. The business is open 24 hours a day. 1940 . ; ISSII lii"w , tf t t ' " cabins to the rear. , . i a ip with interest. The original location of Showalter Ford was on 100 East Main Street. In 1997 the business moved to its current location at 300 West Main Street. The old location remained as a collision repair shop. sits a his desk while H. Walter Wooley and Archie Johnson hold their bank posts y 1. ,1. : - , .1 : t jF yve f'iM'UtlT.i !' f i ,; - !MVi t The Antlers Motel began life as this, a home I. liinllms Snow ii i'Ss larming-lSS- 5 lbert and Hugh nidus ol bioiluis bn a n wed tiom Spunevdle and settled lit Jensen, opti.iitn tails lie' I. inns a geneial sioie. post olfice, and i.i a lens .moss the tiicvn Risei until the 1911 I'lidee Was huiil .MUSS till riC'r lbt ii s pnsieii'y continued the tanulv business pn-- i iid in c 111' t. mi lung Ross Boyd Dale and Gawain 'oi n this tain Is inn. lung d n ists in u.iis 2004. ibe Snow Broilieis i, inching was rec-d by the Vein il Vre.i Ch.nnbei ol Commerce as a ill Business ol the Month )u i Hatch River Expeditions-192- 0 Hatch River Expeditions has been in the river expedition business for 75 years. It all began when Bus Hatch turned a weekend hobby into a way of life for the Hatch Family. In the late 1920s, Bus along with his brothers and cousins built themselves a wooden boat and set out for the Green River to explore its mysterious canyons. Today the business is operated by the Hatch Family under the direction of Meg Hatch and Wendy Hatch-May. Much has changed in the river running industry. Just as the wooden boats gave way to war surplus rafts, the war surplus rafts have been replaced with specially designed, professional equipment. The goal of the business continues to be to show rafting customers the beauty of the river canyons while Ashley Valley Medical Center-194- 1 The original hospital was located where St. Pauls Episcopal Church now stands at 226 West Main, and was owned and operated by Uintah County. A smaller version of the current hospital was constructed on the present hospital site in 1947. From 1977 to 1979 the County constructed a new facility that makes up a majority of the existing hospital. Respiratory, radiology and laboratory services have been expanded many times since the early 1980s in order to accommodate the newest technologies. LifePoint Hospitals, part of Hospital Corporation of America which owns the hospital, currently is in the middle of a large expansion and remodeling project that will add more than 17,000 square feet and impact several major departments. ultra-mode- stressing preservation. Gateway CafeSaloon-194- 1 Decades of art and history line the walls of Brent Borens Gateway Saloon at 733 East Main. Another business, Gateway was opened in 1941 by Kate and Joe Lopez, formerly of Butte, Mont. It was a cafe and bar. Boyd and Ellen Boren took over the family business in 1959 and son, Brent, became the owner in 1982. The Gateway features artifacts ranging from 1800s artillery remnants to Vietnam memorabilia from Brents three tours of service in the war. Injuries Brent sustained in Viet Nam resulted in a major portion of one leg being amputated. An historic J.C, Penney cash register is another unique collectible of the Gateway. The highest the large register can record is $7.99. A full service bar, the Gateway has also hosted such rock and roll legends as the Planers, the Box Tops, the Shirelles and the Drifters. Brent still features live entertainment at his business. Christensens-194- Pitt Roofing-194- 1943 Garden Gate Floral-cir- ca Garden Gate Floral opened in Vemal over 60 years ago. The original owners were Ethan and Myrtle Nealson. They ran the business 30 years before selling to Charles Allred, who moved the business to the present location. Garden Gate Floral has been under the ownership of Clinton and Sherry Harrison for 23 years at 45 East Main. t Milts Hardware-194- 5 Milt Searle opened his business with his brother Carl when Milt returned home fresh from the Navy. He carried Firestone products, furniture and tires. Dirk Labrum is the current owner of the business which has added the Radio Shack business. Milts Ace Hardware is a complete hardware, electronic, paint, plumbing, electrical lawn and garden business. AHredJones Ihe I mi, ih Montgomery own- e.ir I, Her H became the Vemal ership ol K.iie Bo.in a name maintained when lames II Wallis pre-- s the business in 0 7 James' son William B. Walhs earned on the lanmy tiadition and reined, tum-in- e oil the reiens oi the regional newspaper to his son Jack W i"is "J.k k w as iii ser one to mi back and wait lor things to he dune as sou Vee Wallis, uirrenl editor and publisher oi the ein, I spiess wrote February 26, 2003, He ran the press, wrote a tollown.e h;s Pi'h-- r s dea'h weekly column m loaded roils ol newspurit. did alt the rnainten an e w uk el die newspaper and handled the business end oi t ie newspaper until shortly before his death .Hu bool w nh cancer" n m y, , c mated by mdisiduil letters set in n ' hiih ink was spread and paper rolled ' . , h c itpntened operation sporting fu'l coii'i. os,, ecu " s and interlaquent keal spe-uest inseits. tiu cmal to is prestixlay pleased spiess ent tins i.isiii t t ih eommunus. its government. Us JU) ,lv successes, in a reliable and people, pro'll 1 pur-ch.o- 1 I iab' 1 ""'d 1 i Recycling-193- 6 See next page al 2 Hide and Fur opened in 1932 by Russell Montgomery on south Vemal Avenue north of the current Buds Cafe. In 1946 it moved to Fifth East and Highway 40. This location was sold, and the new Dinosaur Museum is nearing completion on the site. Montgomery Recycling has been at 1120 South 1500 East since 1989. Early in the business it primarily recycled hides, fur and wool with some scrap metals. In 1966 Russells sons, Tom and Teny, took over the business and went more into scrap metal recycling. In the early 1970s the brothers divided the business with Terry locating the hides, fur and wool portion to Ogden. Tom remained in Vernal performing metal recycling. Tom says their business prides itself in being the largest scrap and metal recycling business between Salt City and Denver. Since opening, Tom estimates that Montgomery Recycling has processed and shipped out of the Basin, 15 million lbs. electric cable; 150 million lbs. scrap steel, 18 million lbs. copper, brass, aluminum, etc.; 1.500,000 ft. of pipe; 3 million lbs. new steel; and 15 million lbs. wool, hides, fur, etc. Vernal 1 Glass-194- Claude Allred opened his family glass business in 1946, with his sons helping him with the work from very early ages. Jim, Glenn and Marvin worked in the summers and after school for their father in the business that mostly fixed windows, replaced auto glass, and repaired doors in its 215 West Main location. In 1957 paint was added to the inventory. In 1975 Claude sold his business to the larger statewide Jones Paint and Glass organization, which enlarged, moved and added many new lines of residential and commercial glass and paint, and home decorating needs to the business. Jim and Jerry Allred remain working for Jones Paint and Glass in management positions. 1930 crnnl l' press-- S') 1 P.ippixise opened in ISHI under the 3 Lyle Pitt opened Pitt Roofing when the system of asphalt built up shingles was Icing used. Current owner, Stacy Galley, now employs 45 employees at various times of the year, and does mostly commercial and industrial roofing. He now uses single ply synthetic systems. Says Galley, Jheast lO years Jiave seen the most changes in roofing systems, and the changes also give us the biggest challenges. Galley has combined Pitt Roofing with his Roofing World business at 1927 West Highway 40. 1S')0 1 he 2 Richfield saw the first Christensens store opening in 1929 by McKay Christensen. Hi opened a Christensens in Vernal in 1942 on south Vemal Avenue. The always Christensens clothing, shoe and fabric departments became a depended upon stop for Ashley Valley residents. In 1984 the Christensens business was moved from downtown to its new home in the Plaza Shopping Center. Today, Christensens is owned by Doug and Dave Christensen, son and grandson of McKay Christensen. r |