| OCR Text |
Show NPS Form 10-900-a Utah WordPerfect 5. 1 Format (Revised Feb . 1993) OH8 No. 10024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section No. ~ Page ~ Hurricane Historic District, Hurricane, Washington County, UT quickly became known by locals as "Utah's Fruit Basket," renowned for its abundant vineyards, fruits, and nut orchards. 3 When more than 100 people gathered for a rally in August of 1904 to watch water flow into their new homeland, a story was told of an 1865 incident involving Mormon church leader Erastus Snow. Snow was travelling through the area when a sudden gust of wind blew the top off of his buggy. He exclaimed, "My, that was a hurricane! We'll call this Hurricane hill." The people at the rally cheered and decided to name their new town "Hurricane" (pronounced "Hurricun" by locals).4 Ironically, the area boasts of a mild climate throughout the year. The town was surveyed in 1896, but the first permanent structures were not built until 1906. Earlier town residents lived in tents, dugouts, or granaries while they built permanent homes;5 few of these early structures remain. Early Residential Growth, 1906-1930 Although Hurricane was founded several years later than most Utah communities,6 the town follows a tradition of early Mormon settlements, utilizing the characteristic layout of carefully planned, gridded streets. 7 Agrarian families (mostly Mormon), settled on 1.25 acre plots that were assigned to them in return for investment in the Hurricane Canal Project. The Hurricane Canal Company assigned lots and approved building activity for the town, but retained title to all property until the mid-1910's. The earliest permanent homes were located on corners, with the central portion of the blocks reserved for gardens, outbuildings, and small livestock. A number of these early agricultural structures remain. In addition to the residential lots, each investor received 20 acres of farmland outside the town. 8 Early families built houses of frame or brick, in Victorian or Bungalow styles. Few buildings were fashioned with ornate embellishment. The early residents of Hurricane adopted scaled-down versions of 3 lb id. Also, Larsen 394-401. Although the canal was completed in 1904, problems plagued the project for many years. The diversion dam washed away regularly, and frequent leaks caused much crop damage. Ditch riders patrolled the canal daily. chinking up holes in the wooden flumes and removing obstructions. The Hurricane canal was listed on the National Register in 1977. 4Varley, 2. Bradshaw, 407. 5 6The first Mormon pioneers came to Utah in 1847. Most communities in southwestern Utah, including Virgin, LaVerkin. Grafton, Leeds, Rockville, and St. George, were settled in the 1860s and 1870s. 7The agricultural family settlement pattern which is found in Hurricane is typical of other towns throughout the region. For a complete discussion of the grid system in Mormon communities, see Gary Peterson and Lowell Bennion, Sanpete Scenes - A Guide to Utah's Heart (Eureka, UT: Basin/Plateau Press, 1987). 8Larsen, 394. X See continuation sheet |
