Earlly 1960s--Main Street and 100 North--Photo of the Day

This photo was taken in the early 1960s looking east on 100 North from Main Street.  On the right we can see the AMOCO Station, the Dairy Freez, Floyd Johnson's Sinclair and just across the street on 100 East we see the Texaco operated by Ogden DeWitt.  On the left we see Bob's Cafe and Dixon Market.  The CONOCO station had not yet been constructed and the old Coomb's home sits on the site.  Notice the cost of gas at the AMOCO station.  Wouldn't that be a good price to pay today ?
SORRY, I REALLY DO KNOW HOW TO SPELL EARLY.

Flying Machines in Payson in 1916--Photo of the Day

On May 26-27, 1916 there was a celebration in Payson commemorating the completion of the Strawberry Irrigation Project and the Orem Interurban Railtroad.  Beginning at 9:30 A.M. the local band played until the Orem train arrived in Payson.  The train arrived at the station that was located just east of Main Street on First North.  A program was held where the final spike was driven to note the completion  of the railroad.
There was then an Auto Parade along the canal that went from Salem to Santaquin.  The car caraven then came back to Payson whee a luncheon was held.
At 2:30 P.M. that same day at the high school campus (you can see the high school in the background of the photo) there was a flying machine demonstration given by Lieut. T. T. Maroney, an aviator.  He demonstrated the wonderful feats in aviation.
Later that day there was a baseball game  between Payson and Eureka as well as dances, street shows, and band concerts and a carnival.
The next day, there was a program held at the Nebo Stake Taberncale that was attended by Heber J. Grant, W. C. Orem, Jesse Knight as well as assorted musical numbers.  The second day of the celebration  concluded with a ball game between Payson and Spanish Fork.

1893 First High School Graduating Class--Photo of the Day

The first high school graduating class of  the Payson Public Schools was in 1893.  The class attended school in the old Central School located on Main Street and Third South.  The class consisted of thirteen class members and one instructor.  On the back of the 16 x 20 inch photo,  it listed the class members gave information about each one.  More than half of the class graduated from college in 1897.  The class must have consisted on members from some of the more wealthy families of the community since most students at that time completed their education with the first eight grades.  One of the class members, Henry Erlandson, went on to become a Mayor of Payson and a businessman in the community.  He was one of the founders of Central Lumber which later became Chase Lumber then Money Lumber and Hardware and now it is known as Ace Hardware.

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Payson High School Girl's Basketball Team Early 1900s--Photo of the Day

This is a photo of the Payson High School Girls Basketball team.  Taken in the early 1900s. 

Peteetneet School Class in 1917--Photo of the Day

This photo is of an elementary school class taken at Peteetneet durng the 1917-1918 school year.  The second  part of the entry lists the names of most of the members of the class.

Payson First 100 Years--Part 9--James Finlayson

Opera  House Built — Justin A. Loveless Manufactured Horse Collars

            “James Finlayson was elected Seventh Mayor in 1883. He was in for two terms.

            Seeing the need for a jail occasionally, one of modern style was built to the northwest of the City Hall in 1883.

            The Presbyterians had been using the Long hall for their church and school. On November 2, 1883 they dedicated their own Chapel, also built a parson- L age of seven rooms. This parsonage was occupied by the pastor and his family Oct. 24 of the same year. In August, 1884, the Presbytery of Utah met at this place and organized the Presbyterian Church of Pay- son with nine members. David Hone was ordained the ruling elder for one year.

            The people of Payson could that another school was necessary for their children. January, 1883

they held a mass meeting and assessed themselves a 2 percent tax and chose nine persons as a committee to choose a plan of a house suitable to meet the need. J. L. Townsend was appointed architect. The work progressed as far as the roof the first year and two large rooms were finished the next year. Seated with Victor Patent Lock Desks, accommodating 160 pupils, school opened Jan. 1885 under the direction of Professor A. C. Smyth and C. W. Wright. The upper story consisting of two large rooms, with sliding doors for partition, so they could be made into one large room, also class rooms, teachers offices, and cloak room. This was called the Central School.

            Seeing a need for a larger place to hold dances and dramatic presentations, a company was organized May 20, 1882 to build an opera house. Those on the committee were: President John J. McClellan; vice-president John Betts; directors James H. Memmott, Solomon Hancock, Samuel W. McClellan; secretary, Samuel Worsencroft; and treasurer, George W. Hancock. The building was finished with 507 opera chairs. The play "The Green Bushes" was put on by local talent at the opening June 22, 1883.

            It is said that the first piano used for dances was in the Hancock Hall in 1885 and that John Badham was the pianist.

            According to the Payson Enterprise of Jan. 1, 1892, George Todd and Co., with Justin A. Loveless as Junior member, commenced the manufacture of horse collars in 1886. They were the first to establish this industry in Utah Territory.”*

*Quoted from “The Payson Story” page 10, published by the Payson Centennial Co

1902 High School Choir--Photo of the Day

 This photo is of the 1902 Payson High School Choir.  It was taken on the front steps of the Peteetneet School when it was new.  The high school students attended school in the old Central School located on the corner of 300 South and Main Street.  The high school attended class there unitl the new high school was completed in 1912.  The first graduating class in Payson was the Class of 1893 with 13 graduates.

1929 Farmer's Fair--Onion Days--Photo of the Day

The first year of the Onion Days celebration, local farmers displayed their crops in a display held in the auditorium of the Payson Junior High School across the street from the City Park

Payson High Junior Prom and Payson High Senior Hop--1923--Photos of the Day

As a follow-up to our last Photo of the Day of the Payson Pavilion, we wanted to share the two attached photos.  In the 1922-23, the Payson High School Junior Class held their Junior Prom.  The Senior Class that year also held their Senior Hop.  Both dances were held in the old Payson Pavilion located n the southeast corner of Utah Avenue and 100 West.  Dances as well as basketball games were held in the old Pavilion since the high school did not have a place at the high school to hold these events.  Both of the classes decorated the Pavilion with crepe paper streamers and other decorations.  These two activities were some of the highlights of the school year.

Payson Pavilion--Photo of the Day

The Payson Pavilion

    In 1890, the Payson Brass Band and the Huish Band consolidated and formed what was to be known as “The Payson Silver Band.”  The group purchased a set of seven new silver instruments. They instruments were paid for by the members in cooperation with the patronage of the public.
    Over the next ten years, the band performed at many locations from Ogden in the north to Mt. Pleasant in the south.  With success that the band was having, they began to consider the possibility of building a facility in which they could play and hold dances.  In 1902, the members of the band set about building what was to become known as “The Payson Pavilion.  It was located on the southeast corner of today’s Utah Avenue and 100 West
    The dance floor had one of the best spring floors in the county.  The orchestra or band sat on a built-in stand on the south end of the building.  There was a balcony located on the north side of the building.  You entered the building at the northeast corner of the building.  The ticket office was also located near the entrance.  The rest of the wall space was lined with built-in seats or benches.  There were large windows on the east and west ends that could be opened in warm weather.  Each of the corners held a large pot-bellied stove that helped to heat the dance hall in the winter.
    There were dances that were held every Saturday night.  There were also dances on some of the other nights if there was a special occasion.  Payson High School held their school dances in the building as late as 1940.  The students decorated the ceiling with crepe paper streamers.  There was a large revolving ball that was located near the center of the ceiling.    The high school also held most of their basketball games in the building.  The large pavilion was also used for a skating rink.
    The first manager was George A. Peery, a local grocer.  He was followed by George Amos, Charles Pace, and Page Peery.  Page Peery was later a police officer for Payson City.
    The Silver Band had several directors until 1911 when it was disbanded for the first time.   In 1914-15 the band was reorganized.  The band played at the Pavilion as well as other locations in other nearby towns until about 1918.  This group also played at weekly concerts that were held in a circular bandstand a short distance east of the pavilion.  This group also started the Sunday evening concerts when the Memorial Park and the bandstand were constructed in 1920.  The concerts are still held every Sunday in the park.  The Payson Silver Band was finally disbanded in 1950.
    Melvin Done, the conductor in 1920, composed the piece, Memorial Park, that still opens each concert today.
    In about 1928, the band sold the Payson Pavilion to Stan Wilson.  Mr.  Wilson leased the Payson Pavilion to Ralph Miglaccio in 1931. 
.  By about 1947 dancing as an entertainment was in a decline.  Mr. Wilson razed the old Pavilion.  He then leased the corner property to Standard Oil.  Standard Oil constructed a station on the corner site. 
    The station was managed by a number of individuals including L. Roy Barnett, Dutch Wightman, and Leo Daley.  In 1971, the station was leased to Union Oil and it then became a “76" station.  Wayne Carter operated his station in this location after he closed his old station that was located adjacent to the Turf Club.
    The station was closed a number of years ago and the building is now the home of Mt. Loafer Insurance Agency.  This corner of the Payson business district has been the home to a number of successful businesses in the last 115 years.

Safeway Ad During World War II--Photo of the Day

This ad appeared in the local Payson Chronicle during World War II.  Some items were rationed and you will note how many Ration Coupons it took to purchase the items in the lower right column.  The prices overall are very low compared to today's prices.  But you need to remember that wages were also much lower at that time.

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Payson Parade Float--July 4, 1906--Orson Daniels Photo--Photo of the Day

Orson A. Daniels Photography
Payson Parade on July 4. 1906

The Orson A. •Daniels photographic exhibit, a magical display of light, shadows, form and artistry is on permanent display in the Daniels Photo Exhibit Room at the Peteetneet Museum.
    The exhibit includes some over 50  framed and bronzed photographs by the Pay son native who was born May 31. 1865, to Thomas Daniels and Jane Sheffield.
    He was an energetic young man who joined his brother. Thomas, in printing a little hometown newspaper and making tintype photographs. They purchased nitrate of silver, chemicals and little squares of tin from E.R. Savage & Co.. Salt Lake City, to make negatives and develop pictures. Later they made plate glass negatives.   Pay son could not support a photography business, so Orson and Thomas set up a gallery in Provo in 1885 and became very proficient in the craft. With the advent of electricity, Thomas went into that field of work but Orson stuck with photography, making his lifelong occupation.
    He -married Susan Crandall on Dec. 19, 1887, in Payson. They were parents of nine children, all born in Payson.
    Orson's first photo gallery "in Payson was on the west side of Main Street next to a meat market owned by Philo Wightman. He later built a more modern gallery on First South near Main Street.  Not being able to make a very good living in Payson, he traveled at first in a covered wagon that served as his photo lab. He would set-up his tent and photograph people in mining towns and surrounding areas. Years later,  family members took him around in an old truck.
    In the days when glass plates were used to produce images, some of his children would go along to develop them because they had to be used within half an hour of being made up.
    Daniels made thousands of very fine portraits and scenic views, gaining a reputation as an artistic photographer. He died at his home in Payson Feb. 19, 1955. He was 89.  Orson left a lasting impression on the history of this area.- A daughter-in-law. Stena C. Daniels, wrote the following about Daniels at the time of his death. *

Summerized from an article by Verdene Page-Wilson, a deceased member of the PPP Board written about 20 years ago.

Widening Main Street 1947--Photo of the Day

  
 The photo above shows workmen tearing out the old curb and sidewalks in front of the old City Library and Central Market in 1947.  Not the outside stairway in front of the old Library.  The stairs to the basement was moved inside the building.  They became the entrance to the Children’s Library that year.  Today, We find Eli’s on the main floor and the Book Vault in the old Junior Library area of the building.
    When the pioneers staked out the streets for this city nearly 160 years ago they figured Main Street would be where First East Street now is, so they took precautions to make that street the widest in the new community.
    However, the early merchants built their shops on what was then First West Street and it was not long until the town fathers had to move Main Street to First West, upsetting the original plans of the settlers. As a result, Main Street was set up on one of the city's narrowest streets and in this modern age of several cars for every family, this has brought along its problems.
    There has been no four-lane driving, such as the Main Streets in Salt Lake, Springville and Spanish Fork provide. The state saw this early and rerouted the main highway through the city other than down the main thoroughfare. It was enough for two cars, going in opposite directions, to pass when cars were parked on either side of Main Street.
    In 1947, Main Street got  its face lifted. The street was  pushed wider by ,four feet, a big four feet when you consider you used to scratch fenders with your neighbors as you passed in the busy thoroughfare.
    The street widening was finished within two weeks, then a brand new hard surface, sidewalk to sidewalk, blacktop was put down to give Payson, one of Utah's smoothest Main streets.  Payson Main Street was changed to a one-way street almost 50 years ago to accommodate the traffic at that time.

Cleaning the Sidewalks--Photo of the Day

  In the early to mid 1900s the residential sidewalks were cleaned by Ed Jensen or Ern Anderson.  They had a small v-shaped wooden plow that was pulled behind a horse.  You usually saw Ed on the west side of town and Ern on the east side.  The two gentlemen did an excellent job after a snowfall in getting the side walks cleaned.  The photo above is of Ed Jensen taken in1947 near where we find One Man Band today.  The "Egg Plant" or Intermountain Farmers building is in the background.

Payson Race Track--Photo of the Day

     In 1928,  Dr. L. D. Stewart was elected Mayor of Payson.  It was under his guidance that the first Homecoming celebration was held.  Dr. Stewart, at the time was interested in breeding and racing horses.  A meeting was held to discuss the organization of the celebration.  The plan for a celebration was accepted and the group decided to make improvements to the Done Athletic field on the area south of the high school, They decided to construct a grandstand, track and horse stables  and feature horse races to attract people to the celebration.
     In 1929, state officials suggested to help the general economy, each community should promote one of its best crops through its celebration.  Payson selected the onion.
    The track served the community and area very well for many years.  At one point, the races were such a large draw not only for the celebration but for many other times during the year when race meets were held.  It was one of the most outstanding tracks in the state for many years.
     Several years ago, the Payson City Council decided to tear down the grandstand, horse barns and remove the track.  Eighth South was extended from Main Street to the Canyon Road.  It cut right through the center of the old track.  A new ball field, Hillman Field was constructed to the south of the street and the portion from 700 South to 800 South has never been redeveloped and today remains a weed patch that has become an eyesore to the community.
     It was sad to see the old track removed in the way of "so-called" progress.