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Show NORMAN H. BANGERTER GOVERNOR STATE OF UTAH DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT July 1, 1987 Division of State History (UTAH STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY) Dr. Steven D. Bennion President, Snow College 130 North 460 East Ephraim, UT 84627 MAX J. EVANS. DIRECTOR 300 RIO GRANDE SALT LAKE CITY. UTAH 84101-1182 TELEPHONE 801/533-5755 Dear President Bennion: For neady a decade now I have been researching and wd ting about the early architecture of the Sanpete Valley. I was initially drawn to your area by the large number of well-preserved buildings from Utah's early settlement period that remain there. My more recent experience as State Architectural Historian has only confirmed my first impl~ession --- the historic architecture of the Sanpete Valley has, in terms of both quality and quantity, no equal in the state. Many of my favorite buildings have disappeared during the past ten years, but much that is significant remains. In May, I was extremely proud to lead over one hundred prominent scholars from allover the United States and Canilda on il tour of Sanpete archi tectUl~e. The response from the gl~oup was singular in its enthusiastic affirmation of the valley's histodc importance. There, during thilt day in the Sanpete Valley, they were able to get a good feeling fot~ what: the Morman landscape was like in the nineteenth century. The price of such a well-preserved historic landscape is admittedly high. Things rarely stay the same by choice; the survival of lots of old buildings often means many years of hard times. As a former resident of Manti and the husband of a fOI~mer Snow College employee, I know a little about the depl~essed condition of the local economy. I have seen (and been saddened by) the seemingly countless number of "for sale" signs that line Sanpete' s stl~eets. But what can be done? Certainly no one, least of all those of us in the historical community, would advocate the perpetuation of the status quo. Economic growth must occur, yet certain questions must be answered. How can local business be revitalized? What will entice employers to locate in Sanpete? And perhaps most importantly, what will be the cost of prosperity? Now I hear that there is a movement afoot to demolish the United Order Store in Ephraim. I have hear'd this before, but now it seems Illon~~ of a l~eality. Richal~d Nibh'y is gone, Nadine can't, nor should she be expected to, carryon the fight alone. I work for the preservation section of the Utah Division of State History. Yet I have never become involved much in preserviltion. History, after all, is change, and historians shouldn't, I've always thought, tamper too much with the natural flow of time. But there is something special about the Co-op, something in particular that moves me to get involved. I strongly urge you to work toward the preservation of this building. Why? Pilrtly it has to do with the building's architectural and CoopeJ~ative Phillip A. Bullen • Board of State History: Thomas G. Alexander. Chairman • Ellen G. Call ister • J. Eldon Dorman • Hugh C. Garner • Leonard J. Arnngton. Vice Chairman Dan E. Jones • Dean L. May • • Doug las D. Alder William D. Owens • Amy Allen Pnce |
