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Show Wed/Thurs/Fri, June 24-26, 2020 A-7 The Park Record W Green Tips Living the high life on Park City’s High Line Don’t boot the natives AY WE WERE ‘Thunder across the canyon’ still recalled today RHEA CONE Swaner Preserve Invasive weeds may look beautiful to the untrained eye — but they can have dramatic ecological impacts. Invasive plants, or noxious weeds, are non-native and spread quickly and dramatically, blanketing hillsides and pushing out native species. They reduce biodiversity and degrade habitat, making it unsuitable for native pollinators, insects and wildlife. Musk, Canada and Scotch thistle are some of the spiny invasives that must be managed each year. Some have extremely complex root systems that can reach over a dozen feet into the soil. But not all thistles are bad! Utah is home to native species like wavyleaf thistle, Cirsium undulatum, which has sage green leaves and is a favorite of native pollinators. Dyer’s woad is another prevalent weed in northern Utah. This European native is allelopathic-secreting chemicals from its roots to impede the growth of DAVID NICHOLAS Park City Museum researcher Park City was a mining town for over 100 years. The industry and town flourished together with the advent of reliable, cost-effective transportation. This transformation commenced upon completion of the Pacific Railroad — the first transcontinental rail line which passed through Echo in 1869, 27 miles east of the nascent mining community. Direct connection to the growing national rail network occurred in 1880, first by the Union Pacific Railroad followed by the Salt Lake and Eastern Railroad in 1899 (acquired by the Denver Rio Grande and Western Railroad in 1890). The two railroads functioned as giant conveyor belts, transporting essential materials in and out of Park City, including human capital. The impact on the town and the industry proved significant. Census data reveals that from 1870 to 1900 the town’s population increased by 3,000%. Similarly, Park City established a global reputation as one of the world’s premier mining communities both in productivity and technology. As the town and industry boomed, the Union Pacific and Denver Rio Grande and Western Railroad responded accordingly, constructing 17 different spur lines serving the mines and local industries upon which they depended. Arguably the most famous of those spurs was the High Line — built in 1889 to serve the massive Ontario Mill. Constructed in 1877, the mill was PARK CITY HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND MUSEUM, HIMES-BUCK DIGITAL COLLECTION A Union Pacific train delivering supplies to the Ontario Mill circa 1912 via the Rossi Hill “High Line.” A portion of the mill is visible in the background. Trains were required to “back up” the spur as there was no infrastructure (a wye) with which to turn the engine. The photographer is standing on the lower level of the mill complex. considered one of the most modern and largest in the world. Its three brick chimneys were visible from present-day Kimball Junction. The facility operated 24/7, 365. Though the mill closed and was demolished in 1924, the location was repurposed for construction of the Judge Loading Station in 1925. The loading station operated until 1960. The picture included with this article helps convey the height of the line from street level. We see a Union Pacific train delivering supplies to the Ontario Mill complex circa 1912. The tracks wrapped around Rossi Hill and connected to the Deer Valley rail infrastructure via a switch near today’s Deer Valley Plaza. Conquering the steep grade of Rossi Hill represented a daily struggle for man and machine. The resulting cacophony of sounds from this spectacle reminded some Parkites of thunder. From the vantage of his grandparents’ front porch located at 335 Woodside Ave., 5-year-old Steve Leatham enjoyed a clear line of sight looking east towards Rossi Hill and the High Line. The “thunder across the canyon,” both sight and sound, produced an indelible memory. Union Pacific abandoned the spur in 1961 and the rails were removed in the early 1970s. Part of the existing Rossi Hill Drive rests on the former roadbed. While the tracks and industrial complex that they once served are long gone, “shadows” remain: Take a stroll on Woodside Avenue, other plants. Rude! Pulling these plants and their long tap roots is an effective way to control their spread. Managing these invasive species is a community-wide challenge — and one of the most time-consuming and expensive projects that the Swaner Preserve undertakes each year. Head to swanerecocenter.org/ volunteer to get involved with invasive species on the preserve. Volunteers contribute hundreds of hours helping to manage these weeds every summer. We look forward to getting you out there — at a safe social distance of course! Looking for identification or control resources for your home or neighborhood? The Summit County weed department is your go-to. Find them at summitcounty.org/weeds. And when the EcoCenter reopens, you’ll find resources for identification right at the front desk. Recycle Utah, your community nonprofit drop-off recycling center, provides these weekly tips. Visit its website for more information — recycleutah.org. 9 counties switch to new risk phase stop at address 335 and look east towards Rossi Hill. Focus on Rossi Hill Drive — envision a locomotive muscling its cars into either the former Ontario Mill or Judge Loading Station. Close your eyes and open your imagination. It’s 1954 ... thunder across the canyon. Can you hear it? Can you feel it? ASSOCIATED PRESS SALT LAKE CITY — Nine rural counties in Utah moved into the green health risk status Friday after recording some of the state’s lowest COVID-19 case counts and hospitalization rates, state officials said. The counties are Beaver, Daggett, Duchesne, Emery, Garfield, Millard, Piute, Uintah and Wayne, KUTV-TV reported. “The rural lifestyle they enjoy is defined by wider physical distancing, and smaller, less densely populated towns,” Republican The Park City Museum will host a lecture on the High Line, given by David Nicholas and Steve Leatham, on Tuesday, June 30 from 5-6 p.m. In-person attendance will be limited to 20 people. Make a reservation with Diane Knispel at education@parkcityhistory.org. The lecture will also be recorded for virtual viewing. Find the virtual lecture at parkcityhistory.org. Gov. Gary Herbert said. “Although no area is completely free from risk, we feel comfortable having these sparsely populated regions transition from yellow to green.” Guidelines under the green “New Normal Risk” phase include the use of face masks in businesses and social settings when distancing is not feasible and following federal and local public health precautions, officials said. Summit County remains in the yellow phase, along with much of the state. ENDORSED BY CIVIC & CULTURAL LEADERS For better or worse, government operations are not analogous to private-sector enterprises. Malena’s extensive background in government service differentiates her from her opponent. DAVE EDMUNDS RETIRED SUMMIT COUNTY SHERIFF I’ve met with Malena to discuss eastern Summit County issues…. She is genuinely interested in and cares about the needs of our residents in this half of the county. BYRON AMES, FRANCIS MAYOR El Condado de Summit merece una líder con experiencia en las líneas de trabajo frontales. Malena Stevens es esa líder. ENRIQUE SANCHEZ Paid for by supporters of Malena Stevens J U N E 3 0 t h P R I M A R Y | We have a chance to choose between two strong qualified candidates with clear work ethics and solid experience. Only one will also add the gender balance needed to the current council. TERI ORR Malena is intelligent, thoughtful, and has a… wholistic approach that focuses on project impacts for the community, and she is focused on mitigating impacts to produce desirable results. These are qualities crucial to serving the public, particularly at the level of a county council. BEA PECK SNYDERVILLE BASIN PLANNING COMMISSIONER 2013-2019 M A L E N A S T E V E N S . C O M I am supporting Malena Stevens to replace me in Seat C. Malena brings experience in social services and law enforcement, along with a Master's in Public Administration. KIM CARSON SUMMIT COUNTY COUNCIL Her deep knowledge of government systems - including government budgeting - makes Malena Stevens the candidate who can easily assimilate onto the current Council. JACK THOMAS PARK CITY MAYOR 2014-2018 |