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Show HenrieviWs History Has 'Old West' Flavor (The following article is the first in a series to tell about the communities in Garfield County, Antimony, Boulder. Canmnville, Escalante, Hatch, Henrievtlle, Panguitch, Spry and Tropic. Also something will be said about the ghost towns In the county. ) By Mrs. Virginia II Smith Henrieville is located on Utah Highway 12, 30 miles east of the turn off on US Highway 89 and about IS miles east of Bryce Canyon at an elevation of approximately 6000 feet. It was settled in 1877 when James Lewis Thompson and four sons and the Littlefieldl brothers made their residence in Henrieville. The soil in the little valley is fur fertile, gardens and orchards are mostly in town and small fields in out laying areas, which are watered by the water coming from the Henrieville Irrigation Company. There are 625 hours in the irrlgtion company. In town, water turns come once a week on Mondays. In the fields the water comes once in two weeks. The townspeople dipped water from a ditch or the canal east and above town for culinary purposes for over 60 years. Folks got up early to get their water for the day, so it may be cleaner, before the stock was turned out to drink. When Ice covered the stream, each family went to the creek south of town for water. Water was hauled in a wooden barrel placed in a special made sled and drawn by a horse. The barrel had to be kept covered to keep loose animals from getting into it. When the water was mud', a cup of cows milk was poured into the barrel, then stirred. Water came clear faster. In mid summer of 1942, culinary water was piped into town from a spring nearly six miles northeast of town. It was a grand day and everyone in town gathered near the head house east of town to watch the two oldest citizens have the first drinks of this piped water. Elizabeth Smith and Lige Moord. This was followed by a big feast. Myron Willis was the first president of the water board. The first community building was erected in 1877 and still stands. It served for reHgkus worship, school house, and a recreational hall. It was restored for the 1978 bicentennial under the supervision of Mayor Oscar Willis School was held in Henrieville until 1955 when students transferred to Tropic. In the 1930's the government set up CCC work camps in many areas of the land. Boys In their late teens were mostly employed. A camp was built on the creek bank where Henrieville later got its piped culinary water. The town's Christmas present that December was electric lights, thanks to the efforts of the CCC boys and the government. The lights were turned on town about 11 p.m. One woman took her already lit kerosene lamp from room to room so her children could see the new lights. One incident that always comes to mind when the CCC boys are mentioned is a time a boy walked to town once. He tried to jump over the irrigation ditch above town. On arriving at the south store, he apologized for his wet pant legs and shoes saying he missed the bank of the aggravation ditch. For years, freighting was done by team and wagon for I cloth to sew. Shoemakers were kept busy making or repairing shoes, stores kept only staple goods. People traded among themselves. People made their own entertainment, good clean fun. In the warmer weather, small tubs of cows cheese were made. Crock Jars held jams cooked for a longer time than we cook them now. Earthen cellars were useful to store foods in. Women made their own lye and soap. The stuffing for the quilts, all bedding, pillows, were made from duck or chicken feathers. Everything everyone ate grew in abundance. Pioneers brought in sheep and cattle. Chickens were tried about 1949, but soon became extinct because the chicken feed became too expensive to purchase. The sawmills in Escalante and Panguitch-furnish employment for most of the men. In the 1920's Bryce Canyon and Ruby's Inn began trouist business. Both men and women from this area have seasonal employment in these places. The first automobile In town was owned by Ern Fife. By 1949, tractors and cats did most of the heavy work with only three teams of horses left Until December, 1955, there was only one telephone in town. The South Central Utah Telephone Association Inc. placed telephones In the homes with the membership fee $30. Direct telephone dialing began in the summer of 1976. A weather station was placed in town March 9, 1963. There have been 10 postmasters in town since the post office was established in 1883 with Janet S. LeFeere and her mother Virginia H. Smith serving for the past 40 years. Throughout the years, nine people have served the public through the mcrchantile business and two ladies have had beauty parlors. Two Miss Garfield County Queens have come from Henrieville, Carolyn Smith in 1954 and Rita Keleese in 1975. Bryce Valley Development Corporation began operation in 1970. Shares sold at (5 per share. This corporation uses the Henrieville Hall as the sewing factory and employes about 19 women from the three towns in the Bryce Valley area. Dirt or gravel roads were used for travel for years. Waldo Littlefield used a grader pulled by two horses to keep them clean. In 1959, roads were graded and prepared for black topping. The Henrieville emetery has been enlarged thanks to the generosity of Dewey and Teora Willis. Anew fence encloses the area. The town has been incorporated for nearly 50 years with James R. Ott as the first president. |