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Show NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) Utah WordPerfect Format OMBNo. 1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number 8 Page 2 VanFleet Hotel, Farmington, Davis County, Utah In June of 1891 Bamberger announced intentions to build a railway which would link Salt Lake City and Ogden, stating at one time "I will build and equip the best and most modern electrical road that science can produce". By 1894 the Bamberger line was completed to Farmington and was served by steam locomotive. In conjunction with his railroad, Bamberger developed an amusement park known as Lake Park which was situated on the shores of the Great Salt Lake. In 1896 the park was relocated to Farmington to the present site of Lagoon Amusement Park. Bamberger was able to assure patronage of the park by providing fast and inexpensive transportation from Salt Lake City and eventually from Ogden. The railroad had no small effect on the progress of Farmington and during the 1890s the city began to prosper. During that decade a new County Courthouse was completed (1890) the city incorporated (1892), new irrigation companies were organized (1892) , and new businesses were established including the Farmington Commercial & Manufacturing Company (1891) , the Davis County Bank (1892) 8 , and the Wood General Store (1890) 9 . The growth of the 1890s continued into the next decade which saw the establishment of many new commercial enterprises in Farmington. These included the Rampton Drug Store J1907), L.H. Oviatt and Company (1902) , & Farmington Livery and Feed Stable (1907) . Vast improvements were also made to the city's infrastructure including the addition of a new culinary water system in 1906 and electricity in 1908 . The growth and prosperity continued, and beginning in 1910, the city of Farmington was to undergo a change that would have an effect on both the economy and self-image of the community. In April of 1910 a floral entrepreneur by the name of Robert Miller established the Miller Floral Company which, because of its great success in only its first year, encouraged a committee of citizens to christen Farmington as "The Rose City". The committee planned a celebration known as "Rose Day", celebrated on Arbor Day. Each year on that date beginning in 1910 a rose sale was conducted and prizes of choice shrubs were awarded to those planting the largest number of roses on this day . While it is likely that this "citizens committee" was comprised of the owners and stockholders of the floral company, the benefits of such activities were felt throughout the community. During the next three years the economy underwent an expansion which affected nearly every business in town. The Miller Floral Company arew to contain 150,000 square feet of enclosed greenhouse by 1913 (now demolished) . In 1910 The Farmington Commercial and Manufacturing Company expanded its retail space by 7,600 square feet and was transformed into a modern department store (building exists but lacks integrity) . Following this example, several other businesses expanded during 1910 and 1911 including L.H. Oviatt & Company (demolished) , Rampton Drug Store (demolished) , Wood General Store (demolished) 18 , and the VanFleet Hotel. In May of 191019 the old steam locomotives were replaced by electric cars on the Bamberger Railroad and in 1911 a new public school building was completed (Hilltop School - demolished) as well as a horse racetrack at Lagoon. It was under these prosperous circumstances that in 1912, a group of Farmington merchants joined to create the Farmington Commercial Club, with Robert Miller (owner of Miller Floral) fittingly named as president . All previously mentioned businesses were represented in the club including Simon Bamberger, owner of the railroad and resort, and Hyrum S. VanFleet, owner of the VanFleet Hotel 21 . X See continuation sheet |
