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Show a SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW -COMMUNITY PLANNING -LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE -CONSERVATION -LAW -SCIENCE -ECONOMICS -LITERATURE -SCULPTURE -1600-1699 _ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC -ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC -AGRICULTURE ARCHITECTURE -EDUCATION -^MILITARY -SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN -1700-1799 .-ART -ENGINEERING -MUSIC -^THEATER 2^1800-1899 -^COMMERCE .EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT -PHILOSOPHY _TRANSPORTATION -1900- -COMMUNICATIONS _INDUSTRY -POLITICS/GOVERNMENT -OTHER (SPECIFY) -PREHISTORIC -1400-1499 -1500-1599 -^RELIGION -INVENTION SPECIFIC DATES 1866, 1870 BUILDER/ARCHITECT John Crook STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE John Crook, one of the first settlers in Wasatch County, was the areas first historian and a leading church and businessman in Heber. History Crook was born October 11, 1831 in Trenton, Lancashire, England. After he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he decided to move to Utah. He originally settled in Provo. After the Provo Canyon Road was completed and Wasatch County was opened for settlement, he decided to move there. Crook was one of the first men to survey the area in 1858 and he was one of the original settlers in 1859. He and Thomas Rasband planted some of the first grain in the valley. Crook kept an extensive diary during this period of time and parts of it were later published in the Wasatch Wave, the local newspaper. Crook continued to be involved in all aspects of Heber life. In 1866 he was an officer in the county militia which was organized to defend the valley in 1866. He was a farmer and stockman. He also worked closely in the development of business in the area. Crook opened a sandstone quarry in Center Creek and opera ted it for many years with his sons. Crook sold the stone to local residents to build schools, homes and churches. He also shipped it to Salt Lake and Provo to be used as sidewalks and foundations. Crook was an active member of the/Mfermon Church. He was a choir director and an avid genealogist. He served as First Counselor to Bishop John Foreman of the Heber East Ward. He was a charter member of the Heber Dramatic Association and was an officer for a number of years. During most of his life in Heber Crook was a volunteer weather observer for the United States Weather Service. He kept a careful log of daily temperatures and weather conditions. ... Later in his life Crook traveled a.great deal. He was a delegate t& several irrigation congresses. He delivered several trainloads of sheep to the Midwest. Crook died in Heber on March 31, 1921. Crook was among the first settlers, who moved from the campsite to the city lots. His family lived in a covered wagon at first and then moved to a two-room adobe house insode the fort. After the family moved from the fort, they lived in a three-room log cabin. |
