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Show '' "l" rr" - " m -- Utah Recreation Guide, May 19, 1983, pae 24 Box Elder County - Exciting ! "' 2 x I : ' ' , ft'. Highway 69 near Honeyville, Crystal Hot Springs offers swimming, skating, picnic facilities, a snack bar and camping facilities. Golden Spike National Historic Site. The visitor's center features impressive interpretive displays as well as a 30 minute audio-visu- program. The site is also now the home of exact working replicas of the two engines that met there in 1869. Their hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and 6 p.m. on weekends in summer. Great Salt Lake. Since there is no natural outlet for this lake, its salt level has risen to 27 six times that of the ocean. The lake is about 75 miles long and 25 miles wide and is salty enough to allow bathers literally to float like a cork. Mantua Reservoir. Beautifully situated in an alpine valley just east of Brigham City, Mantua Reservoir offers superb fishing, boating and water-skiin- g along with excellent camping facilities. One day, now over a hundred years ago, Box Elder County became the focal point of attention for the entire civilized world. Two gigantic corporations had spent millions of their dollars and hundreds of their employees' lives to connect the West to the East by rail. Considering the era and the technology it was one of the most impressive engineering feats in history. The Union Pacific had come 1,085 miles through hostile indian country from Omaha. The Central Pacific had laid 690 incredibly difficult miles through the Sierras from the Pacific Coast. On May 10, 1869, they met at Promontory Summit just north of Great Salt Lake and dignitaries and executives from both railroads gathered to witness the driving of the final, golden spike. The man chosen to do the honors was Leland Stanford, Governor of California and Director of the Central Pacific. The spike was connected to a direct telegraph line so that when the blows struck, the news could be immediately flashed to a waiting nation. Stanford swung... and missed. The local telegraph operator, displaying the diplomacy that characterizes our region, hit his key simulating the message and the world knew the transcontinental railroad was complete. Today that same spot is a National Historic Site where you can climb aboard exact working replicas of the two trains that met there in 1869, but that's not all you'll also discover a lot of other exciting things to see and do in Box Elder County. GOLDEN SPIKE National Historic Site. 'ZMZZZZmZ'--'iWMs0&k (" iipz'l - ,cV'A;C;V zz& Park Valley. One of Utah's few genuine ghost towns. Park Valley boomed at the turn of the century when gold was discovered nearby. Now it's virtually deserted, but remnants of those niining days can still be seen. Spiral Jetty. In 1970 the last sculptor Robert Smithson created this famous work of earth art on the northeast shore of Great Salt Lake. The lake's varying levels have placed it under water for periods of time but the resulting salt crystals and algae give it a dramatic coloration. As the jetty is now under water it can only be viewed from the air. Tremonton. Tremonton is Box Elder County's second largest city and site of the county's annual fair and rodeo. Tremonton's Lazy Boy Furniture manufacturing plant is one of the largest industries in northern Utah. Willard Bay State Park. This open water area is ideal for sailing, water-skiin- g and power boat racing. Food concessions, picnic facilities, swimming areas, boat ramps and overnight camping are available at the area. Events. Throughout the year, and particularly in the summer, Box Elder County is host to a succession of exciting special events fairs, rodeos, races and small town celebrations where it's impossible not to have fun. Among the more prominent, you'll find the annual reenactment of the driving of the Golden Spike on May 10. In July there's the July 4th Celebration in Willard and in August it's the Railroader's Old Time Folk Festival at the Historic Site, Wheat and Beet Days in Garland and the Box Elder County Fair and Rodeo in Tremonton. In September you can catch Peach Days in Brigham City and throughout the winter we have snowmobile and cutter races on weekends. , SPIRAL JETTY on Great Salt Lake. Facts and Figures. Box Elder County was first settled in 1851 and now has a population of 33,161 (1980 est). The County is Utah's fourth largest, within its borders are 5,594 square miles of land area and 1,000 square miles (almost two thirds) of Great Salt Lake. Agriculture is the basic industry in Box Elder County but the importance of manufacturing is swiftly growing with Thiokol Corp. located west of Corinne, the Lazy Boy Furniture manufacturing plant in Tremonton and the American Greeting Corp. in Brigham City. Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. This massive refuge is nesting ground for over 200 species of shore and water birds. The refuge is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and visitors can view the area either from a 100 foot high observation platform or by taking a circular road tour Brigham City. The Golden Spike Fruitway, Heritage Theatre, LDS Tabernacle, MuseumGallery and Crystal Hot Springs are all located in or near Brigham City. Golden Spike Fruitway. Fruits and vegetables are sold fresh in season from surrounding farms along the 12 mile stretch of US 89-9- 1 south of Brigham City. The Fruitway has long been one of the state's most popular visitor's stops. Heritage Theatre. A local theatre company has converted the Perry Ward Chapel into a theatre and produces spirited and delightful musical comedies every week. LDS Tabernacle. Brigham Young personally selected its site and placed its - ' : cornerstone in 1865. The building is open "zy , , " """ y - ",; i JET BOAT RACING Willard Bay. year-roun- d with guided tours in summer. Museum Gallery. The museum features a permanent display of pioneer artifacts in the form of Victorian rooms. The gallery houses a fine collection of local artists' works as well as special exhibits. Crystal Hot Springs. Located on Utah |