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Show Antimony's History Colorful, Unique There is a primative campground on Antimony Creek south of town on Highway 22 past the cemetery, turning east off U-22 on the Antimony An-timony Creek road. There are several good campsites, pit toilet, tables and good fishing. Its close proximity to Otter Creek Reservoir, just over the county line, and nearby streams makes fishing one of its attractions, too. could be seen carrying five-gallon cans and buckets to the ditch to get the drinking water for the day. Later in the same day, cows and horses were watered in the same ditch. Today Antimony is a farming and ranching community where some of the finest cattle and horses in the county are raised. With fewer than 100 people, the town has its own elementary school. Children of high school age are bussed to Juction attend school. A drive around the area soon convinces the visitor that the town is located in one of the most beautiful areas of the county, with its streams and green trees and serene and lovely farms and ranches. ANTIMONY (A) According to a history recorded by Daughters of Utah Pioneers, the first name given to this valley was Clover Flat, the area where the First travlers came to where Otter Creek Reservoir is now located. Legend has it the name was changed later when a group of young surveyors, sitting one evening around their campfire, heard a noice in the tall grass nearby. One man threw his lasso rope and a yelp was heard. Pulling in this rope, he found that he had caught a coyote and the name became Coyote henceforth until 1920. In the spring of 1880 a mining boom hit the county nearby. Local Indians actually discovered the mineral antimony (stibnite) which they used for making bullets and arrowheads. Coyote Canyon attracted more and more settlers and in 1916-1917 more than 200 people were employed at the mines and smelter. There were hotels, gambling houses and other places of amusement and in 1921 the name of the town was changed again this time to Antimony. ' A small school maintained by a small local tax, donations and subcriptions, was built in 1882 and, in 1887, replaced with a two-room log schoolhouse. Mail service was at-tepted at-tepted in 1886 with the mail coming from Junction to the north about three times a week. Antimony, like many small towns in Garfield County, for many years did not have piped water to the town. For years, ditch water was used and about 7:30 or 8 o'clock each morning, mor-ning, men, women and children :;:c : "5 At . . I - &!- . - tor-' k ' ! jr: ; The Daughters of the Utah Pioneers placed a market at this peaceful roadside rest area commemorating early settlers of the Antimony area. Similar marker can be teen throughout the county. |