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Show CHAPTER VII Amusement and Social Life I. Opera House (1937) on S.E. corner of 1st E. and 3rd N. 2. Opera House (White Elephant) built in 1884-85. Photo of 1911 shows children of David Thomas. Katherine and David. 3. The first " Old Folks" party. on steps at west entrance to rock chape\. Those attending were L. to R.: George Tubbs. Mary Heap Cowley. unidentified. 2nd row: Mrs. Tubbs. unidenti· fied. Mrs. Hadfield. Hannah Miller; 3rd row: Evan Jenkin s. Joseph Lee Robinson. Henry Turner. Ann Turner. Mrs . Thomas, Mary Ann Hunt Williams; 4th rOw: Larinda Robinson, Mr. Glover. Mr. Barrett. Mr. Elkaney Smith. Mrs. Fannie Wood. John Wood . Har riett Stani· forth. Lee Reed; 5th row: Ephriam McG lawphlin. Joseph Walker. Laduska Tupper Grover. Mrs. Anderson. Mr . Anderson. Mrs. Ladle. Ruth Oviatt. Mrs. Trnppit. E llen C. Barkdull. unidentified . 6th row; George Goddard . John W. Hess. Ezra T. Cla rk. The early pioneers combined much of their social life and enterta inment with daily work. After fruit trees began bearing they had fruit to dry and had peac h and apple·cutting bees. The dried fruit was for food during the winter and some· times sold at the stores in pay ment for other needed items. They also had rag· cutting bees. sewing bees and quilting parties. and had a good sociab le time while doing it. The men had barn rai sings. hog callings and killings. a nd corn hu skings and everyone would end a hard da y 's work with music. songs and dancing. Dances and other amusements were held in one of the up stairs rooms of the old courthou se. All dancing and other entertainment ope ned a nd ceased with prayer. Ca ndl es and coa l·oil lamps suppli cd the li ght.ing effec t s. In the winter there would be house warmings. drama s. sledding and ice-skating parties. They would ride in bobsleighs filled with wild hay a nd wool quilts and heated rock s to help keep warm. and then a good hot supper afterwards. Ezra T. Clark had a big bobsled with plenty of buffalo robes and severa l strings of sleigh bells he had obtained in the East. Peach cutting bees were held in his home. followed by games around a bonfire in hi s back ya rd where there were croquet sets and swings. On Saturday afternoons in the summer· time a hayrack was loaded with boys and girls and driven to the s hores of the Great Salt Lake. which was only three miles away. A fin e tea m of horses was the pride of his farm . On celebrations of the 4th and 24th of July he usually provided the bandwagon and a four-horse team. It was hi s delight to decorate them and then drive them while the band serenaded the town. We used to celebrate the 4th and 24th of July at Old Lake Pa rk . The " Old Sow" cannon would boom· boom at 4:00 a.m. and wake the town and everyone would start preparing for the day's events and move toward th e lake. Later they held the celebration in a grove east of Lagoon after a lively parade through town. There were baseball games. gunnysa ck races. rela y races. horse-shoe pitching and buggy riding. In early day s Lagoon was fa· mous for its bicycle races. and they still hold this annual race in Jul y for the young people. Thomas Grover used to entertain travelers at his two-story adobe build· ing on the corner north of the old rock chapel. He had a sign over the front door on a wooden lintel which said. "ENTERTAINMENT." On the Hector Haight farm they used to celebrate in a shady nook. and also in the old grove where there were so many shady cottonwood trees and a cool stream flowing from the canyon. This creek was fir st cailed No rth Cottonwod. but now it is called Big Creek. While celebrating one July 4th on the Haight Bench (call ed Blooming Grovel. a four-year-old son (John) of Frederick and Elizabeth Coombs was lost for three days. When they found him. his mouth and throat were so parched from heat and lack of water that they affected him throughout hi s life. 353 |
