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Most of what I have recently confirmed about that time in the history of those buildings comes from the Ephraim Enterprise, where the controversy was aired. However, we learned about historic old buildings and their value in a community from Richard and Nadine Nibley, who came with their three little girls to Ephraim in March 1966. Editor Larry Stahle had published an article about 19o^ T but most of the discussion about the future of the building occurred in the late 1960s. Newspapers for early 1969 were full of the pros and cons of preserving or removing the Co-op Store and the Relief Society Granary. An article in the Ephraim Enterprise for 27 March 1969, appeared under the head- dicated the "future of the Ephraim Co-op building could landmark now looms on the horizon." The article recalled some of the past uses of the Sanpete Co-op and brought some nostalgic responses in letters to the editor, as readers added their personal knowledge of elementary ing, and a portable dowIing a 1 lev set up in a large open area east of the store. The Co-op and Granary and the property where they stood were mortgaged by the Bank of Ephraim, and in order to secure the future of the buildings, the Nibley's persuaded Orson Lauritzen and Don C. Montgomery of L & H Enterprises in Mt. Pleasant, to buy the mortgage. They then formed the Sanpete Development Corporation to help with expenses. An article in the Deseret News for 14 April 1969, was headlined: "Passing of a Pioneer," and began the lead paragraph with: "The walls are tumbling down." But probably what brought the niost support to restoring buildings an eyesore and expressed the feelings of the writer that the Pioneers were certainly not being honored 106 |
