Georgetown

In 1870, Brigham Young called the first settlers to colonize this area. They were instructed to make a settlement between Soda Springs and Montpelier. The first to respond were Ezra T. Clark, and his son, Joseph E. Clark, and David Hess, Henry A. Lewis, Jacob Hess, and James Lloyd. They came from Soda Springs, along the Oregon Trail to a place with good water. They spent their first winter getting out logs from nearby canyons in order to begin building homes. In 1871, Georgetown was surveyed by Joseph C. Rich of Paris, Idaho, assisted by David Hess and Ezra T. Clark.

Originally the area was named Tolo Creek, probably after an Indian. Because of the twin creeks that flowed out of the canyons to the east, it was later renamed Twin Creeks. In 1872, Brigham Young renamed it Georgetown after his traveling companion George Q. Cannon.

In 1874 and 1875 more settlers came. The first crop of alfalfa was planted by Alma Hayes. The LDS Church was organized with Henry A. Lewis as the first presiding elder. He was later ordained and sustained as bishop on August 25, 1877.

In 1872, the first public building was built and used as a church, school, and village center. In 1894, a white-frame church was built just east of the present church. The little building then fell into disrepair until it was deeded to the Daughters of Utah Pioneers. The DUP completely renovated the building and grounds and turned it into a relic hall, as it remains today.

In 1874, the men of the community built a one-room building that was used for a school, church, and other community gatherings until 1890, when the first real school was built. The school was a two-story building with two large classrooms upstairs and two downstairs. The classrooms had double occupancy desks with space to store books, pencils, etc. This building was also used for church, recreation, and as a business center. In 1913, it was abandoned for a new schoolhouse that was built and later became a motel and apartment house. In 1923, it was burned down by a paid arson for $25.

The new school building was a large four-story building built at a cost of $10,000. It served as a grade school as well as a high school until a new one-level grade school was erected. On January 31, 1920, a high school program was established using the new four-story building as the home of the Georgetown Flying Eagles. In 1929, the 12th grade was added.

Georgetown had tough, hardworking people living there and they put to use the natural resources nearby. They erected sawmills powered by water from the Big Creek, formed an irrigation company and once had a power house built in 1903 at the mouth of the main canyon that furnished power for Georgetown, Bennington and East Montpelier, until Utah Power and Light Company bought the plant and tore it down. A dam was constructed so that electricity could be made with water power. There was also a surplus of water for irrigation. The dam was destroyed when Central Farmers Phosphate Company made a new road to their plant.1

Georgetown also became productive in business activity. It had merchandise stores as well as service stations. At one time there were four places in Georgetown where a person could purchase gas. The first Georgetown merchandise store was built in 1906, and later burned to the ground in 1910. On the top floor of the building was a dance hall where many good times were had by the people of the town. One of the oldest and long-standing businesses was Sleight’s Cash Store, which served the town for over 40 years (1946-1987). The first village government was organized in 1905 with Henry Hoff as village chairman, John Bee, Willard Stoddard and Christian Sorenson as councilmen. In 1967 Georgetown became an incorporated city.2

In 1927, George Hess and Jesse McCammon built the Georgetown Garage. On one end of the business was a bay used to service automobiles. On the other end was a bay used as a horse shoeing shop and blacksmith shop. At one time they even had an auto sales business, which sold Willis Overland cars. This building was torn down and a smaller station built. It was sold to Millard Rodeback in 1944. Georgetown has had as many as three grocery stores, four service stations and three cafes in its time.

In the past, strawberries and raspberries were commercially grown and became well known because they were shipped out on the railroad. People came from all over the valley to pick Lewis Munk’s strawberries.

Georgetown is also known for its 24th of July Strawberry Celebration Days, which consisted of a community program, games, and a rodeo. The celebration continues today under the new name of Twin Creeks Day.

At one time Georgetown had a full-sized rodeo arena with bleachers. Before the arena was built they would have a winter roundup rodeo; anything to break up the winter monotony. There was also a baseball diamond on the community square in back of the school where the ballgames were held. Mining for phosphate started in Georgetown Canyon in 1908 by Robert Shields of Salt Lake City for the Utah Fertilizer Chemical Co. They sold to Syndicate Phosphate Co. of Los Angeles, who sold to Central Farmers which eventually was developed into a multi-million dollar plant in the 1950s. El Paso Natural Gas purchased the plant, closed it, and moved it to Soda Springs in the 1960s. In a well kept park in Georgetown hangs the old bell that was once used to as a curfew bell. It also summoned people to church on time in earlier days.

Resources:

  1. Unpublished manuscript researched and compiled by Lola Hoskins 1971 as a contribution to the Centennial Celebration by the DUP.
  2. Pat Wilde's Treasured Tidbits, Volume 1.
  3. History of Georgetown, written by Duane Peterson.