Chloe Vaughn, Esther Campbell, and Hugh Colton Presentation about Smelter Ranch, Bromide Mine, and Brown's Park [Transcript]

Presentation given about Smelter Ranch, Bromide Mine, and Brown's Park by Chloe Vaughn, Esther Campbell, and Hugh Colton to the Uintah County Historical Society. Topics include: Chloe and Minford Vaughn's purchase the Old Smelter Ranch with coke ovens and an ore mine; Various owners of the land over a forty year time period; Hundreds of people visiting each year to see the old coke ovens; Wintering cattle in the abandoned coke ovens; A dog-out smokehouse used by Queen Ann Bassett. Building a home on the ranch with fireplace covered in petrified wood; Herding sheep; Esther Campbell's research about the Bromide Mine; A shooting by and hanging of John Bennett; Different perspectives about John Bennett; Queen Ann Bassett's purchase of the Smelter Ranch and her arrest for butchering cows that did not belong to her; Water rights; Hugh Colton's father's interest in mining; Hugh's family background; Buildings in the area of Anderson Creek; Failure of the mining operation after thirteen years and multiple sales of the land afterared; Difficulty in transporting ore and inexperience with smelting; Other mining interest Hugh's father had; and the hardships of early pioneers and hugh appreciation of those pioneers in building the community.