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Show Volume X THE Issue X OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Page 9 September 1, 2004 History of Eden Compiled by Stanley Wangsgaard, Middle Fork and the North Fork Rivers and when the Blackhawk War brought serious trouble to the settlers in Ogden Valley in 1865, Brigham Young advised those living on their scattered farms to move their homes close together in a community; thus Eden was surveyed. Edmund Burke Fuller, who was one of Eden’s first school teachers and Justice of the Peace, helped survey and plan the settlement of Eden. The survey marked out nine blocks of six acres each, with the blocks being divided into eight lots each with the center block as a public square where the first school house, a one room log building, was built in 1866. In 1884 it was replaced by a larger frame school building crowned by a bell at a cost of $1,004.50 which was raised by taxation. The dimensions of the building were 26 x 40 with 12 foot ceilings. It was built across the street from the north side of the Public Square, or Eden Park as we know it today. In addition to school, it was used for church meetings and all other public gatherings, as was the log school. The officers of the LDS Ward paid an annual rent for the use of it. It had a seating capacity of 78, and was dedicated January 27, 1884. This served the community until a new yellow brick schoolhouse was built and dedicated September 14, 1919. The estimated building cost was $25,000. The bell was moved to crown the new building the same day the old school house, which had been purchased by the church and converted to an amusement hall, was dedicated. The bell was an essential part of the community, announcing the beginning of school, the end of recess, and the noon hour. It also called the people of the community together in case of fire or other emergencies, saving many fires from spreading to buildings and haystacks. As the men worked the farms outside of town, the women and children were often left at their homes near the town square. If danger presented itself, the women could run to the schoolhouse and ring the bell, alerting their husbands so they could hurry home to protect their homes and families. During the time the school was used for church meetings, 1884 to 1910, the bell also tolled for the times of church gatherings. The bell was also a delight for pranksters who, on Halloween, devised ways to get into the school to ring the bell. The new school had two floors and five large rooms. There were eight grades. In 1919, an addition to the schoolhouse was built on the north, water was piped into the Huntsville Historian Eden is a rare jewel tucked away in the mountains at the center of the beautiful Ogden Valley, discovered by the first white men who entered May 16, 1825, trappers of the Hudson Bay Fur company led by Peter Skene Ogden. His was a large party consisting of 66 men, 30 women, 35 children, and 268 horses. Most of the men were halfbreeds and most of the women Indian. The Valley was originally called Ogden’s Hole. From that time it was Indian country, claimed by the Shoshone as their summer hunting ground. In 1854, Brigham Young sent a group to explore the Valley and to find a shorter route to the Bear Lake country. It was decided that the Valley was a good summer herding ground corralled naturally by the mountains with plenty of feed and water. Entering the Valley over North Ogden pass, Orlin P. Colvin arrived as a herder in 1855, bringing his wife Jane and four children. Jane gave birth to a baby girl, Eliza Ann, in September of 1855 at Eden, and may be the first white child born in Ogden Valley. The first herders’ cabin was built by Erastus Bingham and Joseph Hardy in 1857 on the slopes below what was later named Geertsen Canyon on a spring near the Middle Fork of the Ogden River. Also in 1857, Sydney Teeples built a herders’ cabin on the North Fork and Stephen K. Wilbur built one at Eden. Wilmer W. Bronson came as a herder with his wife Olivia, who gave birth to a baby girl, Cholista, November 22, 1859 in Ogden Valley. They returned to Ogden. All travel in and out of the Valley was over the North Ogden pass because Ogden Canyon was still impassable. The first settlers in Eden came in 1859: the Joseph T. Grover family; Sidney Kelly, whose wife Mary gave birth to their second son William, April 20, 1859; John Riddle with wives and children; Alma Taylor and wife Celia, who gave birth to a baby girl, Sarah Anzinette, September 29, 1859; Joseph M. Taylor and wife Louise. These early settlers knew they were gambling with extreme cold and starvation if they didn’t prepare for winter by storing dried fruit and corn, had a cellar for potatoes, or cured meat so it would keep. They also made their own soap, stacked grass hay to feed their livestock, and hauled in wood to be cut and burned in their stove or fireplace. Eden covered the area between the AND NOW FRIENDS THEN.. Zz : modern lavatories on the ground floor, and a large classroom was constructed above the lavatories. Then the 9th and 10th grades were added. They played baseball across the street on the public square and basketball in the old frame amusement hall at the east side of the school. The 10th grade boys in 192324 were the basketball champions of Weber County. Cheers of 1923 found in an old school notebook showed that school spirit was very strong. In 1926, the 10th grade was bussed to the new Weber High School located on the corner of 12th Street and Washington Blvd. in Ogden. Another change came in 1937 when the 7th, 8th, and 9th grades were taken to Huntsville, followed in 1944 by the 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. Finally, 1945-46 was the last year school was held in Eden with the Ist, 2nd, and 3rd grades. The spring of 1946 was the last year school was held in Eden—the last year children’s’ voices were heard in the old yellow brick schoolhouse. Three years later in 1949 with the school falling in disrepair—its lawn dying and its windows broken—the building was razed. Historical Photo o Eden students from the 23rd Annual 8th Grade graduating class. A commencment ceremony was held May 31, 1913 at the Ogden Tabernacle. Graduates commonly varied in age because students often had to leave school for extended periods of time to help maintain family farms and businesses. The only students currently idenitified are the three on the far right standing in the back row. From the three on the far right, from left to right, are Louis Clarke, Warren Stallings, and Louis Fuller. If you can identify any of the other students, please call Shanna at 745-2688 or Jeannie at 745-2879. Photo courtesy of Ned Clarke formerly of Eden. The OGDEN VALLEY NEWS to Host Valley Reunion The OVN will host a Valley Reunion on September 25, 2004, at 5:00 p.m. at Valley Elementary. The OVN is extending an invitation to anyone born on, or before, 1945 that spent time growing up or residing in Ogden Valley or Ogden Canyon. Please plan to attend! Partners are welcome. For more information call Shanna at 745-2688 or Jeannie at 745-2879. Ese of = Roy Hardy, Norman Montgomery, and Gordon Madsen 2004. Norman Montgomery, Gordon Madsen, and Roy Hardy 1947. Mark Your Fall Calendars... The PTA is |OOKing ahead to the time and just Wanted to jet you Know we Will be NMaving Our fall that 5 LOCATED IN THE VALLEY IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE Discount commissions low as 4%. 2003 CLoseED SALES VoLUME uP 111% OVER 2002 We need homes & land to sell, call 745-6000. me We as Call for details. [ Paul Judd | 745-6000 Office 814-5667 Cell Manager/ Broker Sales Master/GRI Chairman OVBA We Real Estate The Walk-a-thon will be during school that day then the Festival will be that evening from 5:30 p.m. tO 8:00 | Done Right! and p.m. We wanted you to be aware and plan to join us for even more fun ahd prizes than tast year. IF you would be interested in volunteering for either event please contact Patti Child 745-2552 or Julie Lund 745-3979. 5460 East 2200 North Eden Utah 84 310 Connected to the Community The Valley is our Business |