beaverdam

The beautiful small town of

Beaver Dam
Box Elder County, Utah

center part of Beaver Dam Church
erected 1898

A Short History Of Beaver Dam, Utah
Written 1996 by Leonard Morgan Hawkes

Jim Bridger, the famous mountain man, has been given credit for being the first white man to enter the Bear River Valley. Whether he came down the river on a boat or entered from Cache Valley on horse back, he no doubt passed through Beaver Dam. In August and September of 1843, the famous explorer John C. Fremont also traveled through the Beaver Dam area.

The Mormons were the next to arrive, driving cattle through the easy pass in the hills to the lush pasture land of Cache Valley.

The first permanent settlers of Beaver Dam came in 1867 or 1868. Early settlers included Francillo Durfey Sr., Crandel Dunn, Henry Miller, Denison Durfey, Casey Potter Bowen, and Joseph Leonard Bowen, who came to the area from Providence in Cache Valley, to engage in stock raising. They enclosed a small field containing about 72 acres located just north of the present day Beaver Ward Chapel, and proceeded to make a ditch in which to carry water to their land for irrigation purposes.

The settlement was known as Beaver Dam because of the numerous and sizable beaver dams built in the small creek that passes through the area.

The Brigham City Cooperative Dairy was established above Beaver Dam about this same time and was also an influence in attracting settlers to this area.

In the 1880's the people of Beaver Dam found that the surrounding side hills and rolling valleys could be used for dry farming. This new industry brought in more settlers, among whom were Joseph H. Watkins and George Simmons. In 1881 Jarvis Johnson moved from Brigham City and was influential in building in the area.

In 1898 the residents of Beaver Dam erected a very commodious Church building. Much of the actual cash for the building was paid by the Hansen family, and many ward members paid their share toward the building by plowing and doing other work for the Hansens up by the dairy. Though remodeled two major times since then, this same church building is being used by the Beaver Ward today.

One unfortunate incident in the history of the town was the installation of a pumping plant to draw water up to irrigate 500 acres of land north of town. The project cost many thousands of dollars, but later proved to be too expensive and unsuccessful.

In recent years agriculture has become less important to the Beaver Dam economy. Its beautiful location in a somewhat secluded valley close to both Tremonton and Logan has made it a desirable location. In 1996 the citizens of the Beaver Dam and Collinston area had the area zoned to help preserve its open pastoral setting.

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contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Annette Nelson. This history was contributed by Leonard Hawkes.

Please send comments and questions to Annette Nelson, Box Elder County Coordinator