PHOTO OF THE DAY--WEST UTAH AVENUE IN EARLY 1970s

PAYSON HISTORICAL SOCIETY

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Looking west on Utah Avenue in the early 1970s.  On the left we see the Payson Chronicle Building and Payson Furniture.  ON the right we see the IOOF Lodge, Chipmans and the Huish Theater.

PHOTO OF THE DAY--MAIN STREET AND 100 SOUTH IN 1914

PHOTOS TELL THE PAYSON STORY
MAIN STREET AND 100 SOUTH IN 1914

This photo was taken about 1914 looking north from today’s 100 South on Main Street.  On the left we see the original Hyrum Lemmon Store had been renamed the Wellworth Store.  Today it is the home of The Photo Shop.  Just to the south on the southeast corner we see a harness shop and directly across the street to the west is the building that once housed the Wilson Millenary Shop.  Just to the north of it we see the Simons Building.

REMEMBER WHEN FROM THE PAST--REMEMBERING DOWNTOWN MAIN STREET

REMEMBER WHEN
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Kenna Holm

Main Street looking North from 100 South

REMEMBERING DOWNTOWN MAIN STREET

      Remember the days of the two-way street through the middle of town? Oh those were the days.  I'm sure many people who are new to the area can't imagine cars going both ways. Myself, I wish it was still that way.
      I don't usually go way, way back to the beginning but this week I want  to show a picture of Payson Main Street when it was first done in the 1890s ( a little before my time).
      I think in the beginning, Main Streetwas supposed to be where First East is now. At that time, they made that street the widest in the community. But then the merchants built their shops one block west on what is known as Main Street today.  Soon after that the city fathers had to move Main Street one block west which kind of upset the original plans of the settlers. As a result, Main Street was set up on one of the city's narrowest streets and this brought  a lot  of problems with cars becoming popular.

Tearing out sidewalk to make Main Street Wider. This was in front of Central Market. Look at the prices of groceries advertised on window

     Now- to when I remember, in 1947, the city decided they needed to make Main Street a little wider. The city was starting to prepare for the Centennial Celebration so they wanted to make Payson look as good as possible.  They declared theweek of Apr 7th to the 12th as clean up week and wanted the whole city to do what they could to make the city look beautiful.
      The Mayor at that time was Floyd Harmer and he and the city council decided it was time to widen Payson Main Street. They  decided to make the sidewalk on the East side of Main Street the same as the West side. So in April of 1947 they started tearing out the sidewalk on the East side of Main Street. They made the street four feet wider. They thought now the cars wouldn't abouttouch each other as they drove by one another on Main Street.
      It's fun to look back and remember the stores that were on Main Street at that time.
There was the old Elite Café, J. C. Penney's , Dastrup’s and so on. They had water that would run down the sides of the street on each side.  It was irrigation water. They also had a couple of water
fountains on Main Street.

   This is in 1973 when they started the Downtown Improvement

Two way traffic on Main Street in the 1960s 

  We used to 'drag' Main’ when we were in high school and thought  that  was pretty cool.
Then in early 1970s, they decided they needed to spruce up Main Street and give it a whole different look. They took the ditches out and replaced them with underground pipe, they tore out the sidewalks (again) and started with the 'New Look'.  They decided to make Main Street a one way street. Now that took a lot of getting used to by the people in town. (Hard to teach an old dog new tricks). There were a lot of people that would start going north on Main Street and suddenly realize they were going the wrong way.
      They put in new sidewalks, planted trees, made areas for flowers and it looked beautiful but it did take some getting  used to only  go one way on Main.


I  miss the days when you could start on one end of Main and do all your  shopping. They  had grocery stores on both ends, Central Market  and Safeway's. They  had Wilson's Style Shop for  women's  wear and Sherm's Men's Apparel for the men. They had Forsey's Variety Store for just about everything you would need, they had Roe's Bakery for the most wonderful baked goods, there was J. C. Penneys, and Christensen's, Gudmundson's Jewelry Store and of course they had a couple of Pool Halls, the barber shops and drug stores and a few other places. I miss those good old days when you went up town shopping and you got to visit with everyone you knew (which wasn't hard since Payson was small then). Boy, I don't know about you but it's fun for me to just remember when....

PHOTO OF THE DAY--PAYSON CANYON ROAD BELOW PAYSON LAKES

PAYSON CANYON ROAD

This photo was taken in the 1930s just below the original Payson Lakes Turn-off.  For many years  the road was not black topped and the cars got stuck along the muddy road and had to be pulled out by teams of horses.

Photo of the Day---Main Street Funeral Procession

Funeral procession heading north on Main Street sometime after 1905.  Note the Exchange Bank and the Lewis Block drugstore just to the north.  The two story building behind the hearse is the Erlandson Building.  The second story was destroyed by fire and the building became a one story building.  This where JoAnn's Head Shed was located for main years.

PICTURES TELL THE PAYSON STORY--CONFECTIONARY STORES: UPRIGHT, NAYORS, AND CHIPMANS

 UPRIGHT CONFECTION OPENED NEXT TO THE THEATER IN 1915

PICTURES TELL THE PAYSON STORY
PAYSON HISTORICAL SOCIETY

 CONFECTIONARY STORES–UPRIGHT, NAYOR’S, CHIPMAN’S
      The building located at 60 West Utah Avenue has seen many changes since its construction in 1915.  The building was known originally as Upright Market and Confectionary.  Henry Naylor and his wife purchased the building later and the store became known as Naylor Market and Confectionary.  Old timers may remember Mr. Naylor was blind but he still clerked in his store.  He always seemed to know by the feel what the amount of currency was that was handed to him to pay for the merchandise.
 

NAYLORS FOLLOWED UPRIGHT IN THE LOCATION NEXT TO THE THEATER

     Mr. Henry Naylor later constructed a new building on the Southwest corner of 100 West and Utah Avenue where he operated the small convenience store.  There was an apartment in the rear where he resided.  He later sold the store to Leo Daley who continued to operate it for many years.  Today, we find a beauty salon located in the building.

CHIPMAN'S CONFECTION OPEN IN 1944 UNTIL 1979

      Harold and Florence Chipman from American Fork purchased the store next to the theater from Mr. Naylor in 1944.  The Chipman’s along with their two children, Carol and Cordell, resided in the apartment that was located in the rear of the building.  The Chipmans remodeled and expanded the apartment to included a 2nd bedroom, a front room and a bathroom.  They moved into their apartment in November 1944.
 The Chipman’s operated the market and confectionary store for thirty-five years until Harold passed away in 1979 and the store was sold.  The store had a soda fountain where they carried all flavors of ice cream and they made all flavors of  malts and shakes and ice cream sodas and banana splits. The soda's were created with carbonated water and any flavor you wanted added, straight from the fountain.
 Mrs. Chipman made some of the best hamburgers in town. The burger were thick with a fresh sliced tomato, sliced onion, pickles, lettuce and a hand full of chips on the side. You could also buy fresh sandwiches and other goodies in the store.
 The prices are seem very inexpensive by today’s standards.  Fountain drinks were a nickel, malts were 24 cents, sodas were 15 cents and banana splits with three scoops of  ice cream was just 35 cents. The hot dogs were 15 cents and the hamburgers were 25 cents.
 The store was located just west of the old Star Theater and the newer Huish Theater was located just a short distance west down the street.  One of the special things that the Chipman store had was the selection of “penny” candy.  The kids would come in on their way to the movies and buy a sack of the candy to take to the show with them.
 After the operation of the store came to an end, it has had a variety of businesses locate there over the years.  We have seen an insurance office, a realty office, a tax office, a barber shop  and other varied enterprises located there.
 In 2015, the Computer Corner and Payson Lock and Key moved from a unit in the Huish Theater building into the building.  The exterior was updated and plastered to obtain a new modern feeling.

PICTURES TELL THE PAYSON STORY--OREM RAILROAD

PICTURES TELL THE PAYSON STORY
PAYSON HISTORICAL SOCIETY

THE SALT LAKE & UTAH RAILROAD "THE OREM  LINE"

 May 2016 marks the 100th Anniversary of the completion of the Örem Railroad” and the Strawberry Highline Canal.  These two events help to change the history of Payson and the surrounding area.
 The citizens of Payson had promises of an electrically operated railroad to run from Salt Lake City to Payson.    On February 24, 1903, Walter C. Orem was granted a permit to built and operate an inter-urban railroad between Salt Lake City and Payson.   The train was financed by A. J. Orem and Company of Portland, Maine and Simon Bamberger's Inter-urban Construction Company.  Mr. Bamburger had opened his own line in 1896 when the section running between Salt Lake City northward to Ogden was completed. Steam Locomotives pulled the train until May 28, 1910 when it was converted to use electricity.
      Mr. Orem, a rail construction veteran, was able to obtain $2 million from Boston and Portland backers, matched by local funds. In less than a year Orem had selected a route, bought and surveyed the rights-of-way, prepared the grade, and strung an overhead catenary to carry 1500 volts. In another year he had built the roadbed, installed track, and erected costly overpasses. Four UP&L substations powered the interurban plus streetcars that connected Provo and the Brigham Young University campus. The plan was to extend the line to Nephi, meaning that the entire Wasatch Front would be spanned by electric mass transit. By 1913 four gas-and-electric trains per day were running from Salt Lake to American Fork. By the next year 800 passengers rode daily between Salt Lake and Provo. Each subsequent year brought expansion: 1915 to Springville, 1916 to Payson.
     The new line south from Salt Lake City was known locally as the "Orem Road" for A. J. Orem & Company, whose handling of the financing and construction of the line under the direction of W. C. Orem, the active head of the company, has been marked by high efficiency throughout. The Orem interests took hold of the project late in 1912 and would have the line in actual operation in little more than a year from the time they assumed control. The work accomplished in the period included the making of all surveys and plans, the securing of rights of way, the purchase of large quantities of material and equipment, and the actual construction of the railr The Salt Lake & Utah Railroad "The Orem Line", ran 67 miles from Salt Lake City to Payson. The train ran straight through Provo. The Provo depot was located where the NuSkin building stands now on the south side of Center Street.
      The "Orem" line was completed from Salt Lake City southward to American Fork on March 23, 1913 and reached Provo in July of 1914.  The line extended further to Springville by July 1915, Spanish Fork in November 1915, and Payson on March 24th, 1916.  The plans to extend the line 25 miles to Nephi were never completed due in part of the United States entering World War I, although the surveying was completed in 1917.
 

THIS PHOTO SHOWS THE CUT THROUGH THE HILL JUST NORTH OF THE PETEETNEET SCHOOL.
         May 20, 1916, saw the last day of rail laying on the main line. The last spike was driven in the streets of Payson. May 26 and 27 were set aside for celebrating both the arrival of the SL&U and the government's large Strawberry Reclamation Project.  The first train arrived in Payson about 9:30 A.M.  Mr. Orem and his daughter were met at the station by the Payson Silver Band.  At 10:00 A.M. the last spike was driven by Mrs. George Done, the Carnival Queen and Miss Gladys Orem.

THE TRAIN TRAVELING DOWN 100 NORTH JUST PAST THE TRAIN SHOPS AND APPROACHING THE OLD PAYSON FOURTH WARD BUILDING.

     After leaving Spanish Fork, the line went south to Salem and then turned west toward Payson. A large cut or roadbed excavation was necessary just north of the Peteetneet School.  The dirt removed from the cut was used to build an elevated roadbed going east toward Salem.  As the line moved eastward toward Salem the roadbed eventually became almost level with the state highway that ran adjacent to it. 
      George A. Cheever Sr. was one of the employees of the Orem Line almost from the beginning of service.  He continued for nearly thirty years until the train service was ended.  He originally came to Payson as store keeper working with supplies in the north building of the shops that were located on 400 East and 100 North.  He later also took over in 1932 as the station agent as well as retaining his previous position.
      Immediately, 24 trains a day made the complete run from Salt Lake to Payson, a distance of 66.6 miles. By July, service had increased to 26 trains a day, which was the largest number ever operated to Payson. From then until final abandonment, service was gradually cut back. During the Twenties, an average of 16 to 18 trains were run daily. The lowest point was reached in 1937 when only ten daily trains were scheduled.
 

TRAIN STATION LOCATED JUST EAST OF THE PRESENT DAY CREST CONVENIENCE STORE.

    The line ended in Payson at the Interurban Depot that was located just east of Main Street on 100 North where we find the parking lot of the Crest Convenience Store today.
 What happened to Utah's interurbans? At first they were able to compete with automobiles--despite low petroleum prices and government highway subsidies--through superior service. But eventually equipment and rail beds needed costly maintenance. As early as 1925 the Orem line had cut back scheduling by one-third.
      The Great Depression sent the Bamberger and Orem lines into receivership. Their demise was helped by an active campaign by oil and auto conglomerates to buy up interurbans only to shut them down. World War II brought a temporary boom to the line. But after the war, Utah railroads lost money, while their petitions to the Public Service Commission to shrink services and thus costs were rejected. In 1947 the last line ceased operation.  The rails were removed and the large cut north of Peteetneet was filled in.
      The Orem Inter-urban provided a great service to Payson and the communities of Utah County for more than thirty years.  Today, we are seeing the planning and completion of a new interurban railroad line known as Frontrunner that is part of the Utah Transit Authority.  This second inter-urban line will also benefit the communities and populace of Utah County,














 The Orem Inter-urban provided a great service to Payson and the communities of Utah County for more than thirty years.  Today, we are seeing the planning and completion of a new interurban railroad line known as Frontrunner that is part of the Utah Transit Authority.  This second inter-urban line will also benefit the communities and populace of Utah County, The Great Depression sent the Bamberger and Orem lines into receivership. Their demise was helped by an active campaign by oil and auto conglomerates to buy up interurbans only to shut them down. World War II brought a temporary boom to the line. But after the war, Utah railroads lost money, while their petitions to the Public Service Commission to shrink services and thus costs were rejected. In 1947 the last line ceased operation.  The rails were removed and the large cut north of Peteetneet was filled in. What happened to Utah's interurbans? At first they were able to compete with automobiles--despite low petroleum prices and government highway subsidies--through superior service. But eventually equipment and rail beds needed costly maintenance. As early as 1925 the Orem line had cut back scheduling by one-third. The line ended in Payson at the Interurban Depot that was located just east of Main Street on 100 North where we find the parking lot of the Crest Convenience Store today. Immediately, 24 trains a day made the complete run from Salt Lake to Payson, a distance of 66.6 miles. By July, service had increased to 26 trains a day, which was the largest number ever operated to Payson. From then until final abandonment, service was gradually cut back. During the Twenties, an average of 16 to 18 trains were run daily. The lowest point was reached in 1937 when only ten daily trains were scheduled. George A. Cheever Sr. was one of the employees of the Orem Line almost from the beginning of service.  He continued for nearly thirty years until the train service was ended.  He originally came to Payson as store keeper working with supplies in the north building of the shops that were located on 400 East and 100 North.  He later also took over in 1932 as the station agent as well as retaining his previous position. After leaving Spanish Fork, the line went south to Salem and then turned west toward Payson. A large cut or roadbed excavation was necessary just north of the Peteetneet School.  The dirt removed from the cut was used to build an elevated roadbed going east toward Salem.  As the line moved eastward toward Salem the roadbed eventually became almost level with the state highway that ran adjacent to it.   May 20, 1916, saw the last day of rail laying on the main line. The last spike was driven in the streets of Payson. May 26 and 27 were set aside for celebrating both the arrival of the SL&U and the government's large Strawberry Reclamation Project.  The first train arrived in Payson about 9:30 A.M.  Mr. Orem and his daughter were met at the station by the Payson Silver Band.  At 10:00 A.M. the last spike was driven by Mrs. George Done, the Carnival Queen and Miss Gladys Orem. The "Orem" line was completed from Salt Lake City southward to American Fork on March 23, 1913 and reached Provo in July of 1914.  The line extended further to Springville by July 1915, Spanish Fork in November 1915, and Payson on March 24th, 1916.  The plans to extend the line 25 miles to Nephi were never completed due in part of the United States entering World War I, although the surveying was completed in 1917.  The Salt Lake & Utah Railroad "The Orem Line", ran 67 miles from Salt Lake City to Payson. The train ran straight through Provo. The Provo depot was located where the NuSkin building stands now on the south side of Center Street. The new line south from Salt Lake City was known locally as the "Orem Road" for A. J. Orem & Company, whose handling of the financing and construction of the line under the direction of W. C. Orem, the active head of the company, has been marked by high efficiency throughout. The Orem interests took hold of the project late in 1912 and would have the line in actual operation in little more than a year from the time they assumed control. The work accomplished in the period included the making of all surveys and plans, the securing of rights of way, the purchase of large quantities of material and equipment, and the actual construction of the railroad. Mr. Orem, a rail construction veteran, was able to obtain $2 million from Boston and Portland backers, matched by local funds. In less than a year Orem had selected a route, bought and surveyed the rights-of-way, prepared the grade, and strung an overhead catenary to carry 1500 volts. In another year he had built the roadbed, installed track, and erected costly overpasses. Four UP&L substations powered the interurban plus streetcars that connected Provo and the Brigham Young University campus. The plan was to extend the line to Nephi, meaning that the entire Wasatch Front would be spanned by electric mass transit. By 1913 four gas-and-electric trains per day were running from Salt Lake to American Fork. By the next year 800 passengers rode daily between Salt Lake and Provo. Each subsequent year brought expansion: 1915 to Springville, 1916 to Payson. The citizens of Payson had promises of an electrically operated railroad to run from Salt Lake City to Payson.    On February 24, 1903, Walter C. Orem was granted a permit to built and operate an inter-urban railroad between Salt Lake City and Payson.   The train was financed by A. J. Orem and Company of Portland, Maine and Simon Bamberger's Inter-urban Construction Company.  Mr. Bamburger had opened his own line in 1896 when the section running between Salt Lake City northward to Ogden was completed. Steam Locomotives pulled the train until May 28, 1910 when it was converted to use electricity. May 2016 marks the 100th Anniversary of the completion of the Örem Railroad” and the Strawberry Highline Canal.  These two events help to change the history of Payson and the surrounding area.THE SALT LAKE & UTAH RAILROAD "THE OREM  LINE"

REMEMBER WHEN FROM THE PAST--EARLY PAYSON POLICE DEPARTMENT

REMEMBER WHEN
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Kenna Holm
 
EARLY PAYSON POLICE DEPARTMENT
      Monday evening,  we entertained our Home EveningGroup at our home. This is a group that was the young marrieds when the Payson 6th Ward was orgainized in 1961. We ve stayed in touch over the years and 9 years ago we formed an official home evening group and meet once a month. It has been such fun to get together on a regular basis and visit and have speakers of what have you. This week, we spent half the time talking about the Remember When in the paper and it was so fun having everyone tell what they remembered. I swear Kenneth Shepherd has the memory of an elephant. He remembers everything.

     Later,  I was talking to Shirlene Wood and we started talking about her dad who was one of the earlier policemen of Payson. They had four at one time that I first remember. Dick Chapple who was chief at one time, Page Peery (Shirlene’s dad and also Lynn (Sam) Peery’s), Bob Cartwright, and Deke Peterson.(Page Peery was also police chief at one time.)

     Page Peery s daughter brought me in some great pictures of her dad in his early days as a Payson policeman. He started out riding a motorcycle on his rounds.  Later they went to patrol cars.   I found out that the city sold those motorcycles later on to the Erickson brothers. Paul Erickson was my older brothers good friend and they use to ride that motorcycle all over. DeLynn (my brother) even wrecked it. Typical kids, always goofing off. The policestation was on Utah Avenue just East of the old Payson Library on the corner of Main and Utah ave. The Library was on the corner and connected to it was the City Office (East of Library) and then next to the City Office was the police station. It was very small as was the City Office.
 The policemen would walk all over down town and visit with the people on main street and then at night whoever was on duty, walked around and checked all the doors on the stores both front and back to make sure they were locked.
 They were not men to just sit in an office or just ride around, they got out and helped with different things. (I’m not saying that our officers today sit around, they re all great)  It was nothing to see Dick Chapple or Page Peery shoveling snow on Main Street so people could get around. Everyone loved to stop and talk to them. They were everyone’s friend.
 Page Peery was a policeman for 23 years that began in 1928 and he retired at the age of 67. He was born on January 6, 1896 on the day Utah became a state.
I think they had one cell in the policestation (I never had the chance or opportunity to go into the police station).
 The City Office was small and we would go there to pay our city bill (which in those days was a fraction of what they are now). I remember several who worked at the city offices, Ogden DeWitt, Ted Bates, Sally Peery, Deon Gray, JoAnn Nielsen and Iknow therewere more. There was also a man named Marcel Chard that worked there and he had the most beautiful penmanship for a man I had ever seen. If I remember right, Ted Bates was the City Recorder. (I’m sure if I m wrong, someone will correct me)  I'm sure everyone knows that they give the "Ted Bates" award to a city worker every year. He was a great man.
 There was an opening from the city officeinto the library and they could visit back and forth. Upstairs over the library and offices therewas the citycouncil room where they met each month and also the city attorney, Dave McMullin, had an office there.
All of the offices, the police and city office, were small but then so was Payson inthose days. Gosh isn t it fun to remember when?

REMEMBER WHEN FROM THE PAST--SUMMER BAND CONCERTS IN THE PARK

Remember When
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Kenna Holm

1970 Summer Band--J. D. Christensen. Conductor

 SUMMER BAND CONCERTS IN THE PARK

 I've been thinking all week about the great band concerts we have had forever on Sunday evenings at the park. I was so excited to go up Sunday evening and get some good pictures of the band playing and then it rained -and no band concert. But I've decided to go ahead and write about them anyway.
 When I was young, we loved to walk up to the park and listen (?) to the band playing all their wonderful music. We did a lot of runningaround as I  recall. Ther eused to be a lot of tall bushes we would run through and hide in.
 The park on Sunday evening was the place to be. We met friends and boyfriends and had lots of fun. Now days, I'm not sure I'd ever let kids take off alone to go to the park at night like we did.
 I think the first conductor of the Band I remember was JD Christensen and I think the band was made up of the high school students that were in his band at school. JD did a lot with the band. They went to parades, played at all the games and also did the band concert in the park.
 The year I was a sophomore, I had the privilege of being a twirler with the band along with a few other girls. Helen Harmer Walker, Connie Smith Cloward were also a baton twirlers. I remember marching in the Days of 47 Parade in Salt Lake one year and I thought that parade would never end. It was so hot.
 After JD retired, Lewis Huff took over as the band director for the band concerts. There were people from all over that came to play in the band not just high school students. Lew had all his kids that were so talented that played in the band. There was Farrell (now deceased), Larry, Wayne, Colleen (Wilson), and Lou Ann. That was quite a thing for him to be proud of. They were a talented family. Along with his family there were a lot of familiar faces like, Monte Taylor (he was the greatest. I miss that guy) Cordell Chipman (who is still playing every week). and many others.
 After Lewis retired, I think Roger Holt was the next to take up the baton and then it passed on to Wayne Huff (Lewis' son)
 Years ago they would practice in the old Central School that was on the corner across from the park and after it was torn down they practiced in the old Jr. High (the one they just tore down). AfterYoungLiving Essentials bought the building, the band then practiced at the Park View School.
 Every year the concerts start about the first of July and go until Labor Day. The last performance on a Sundayeveningis the daybefore Labor Day. Theypresent the Payson Royaltythen and have their fathers escort them to the band stand.
 Many years ago, Ferran Hiatt and Nadine (Davis) Marvin got together and wrote new words for the queens to the tune of 'Moments to Remember'. At that time, Ferran asked Lylia Carlisle and myself alongwith he and Stewart Scharrer to sing this song to the queens. Lylia and  I went on to sing that same songeach yearto the queens for over 30 years. Two years ago we decided that was enough and we quit doing it.
 There were lots of queens we sang the song to. We had several different male singers that took part with us over the years. The last few years JayThomas, Roger Tuckett, Lylia and I sang it. We also sang the National Anthem at the end of the concert. It was fun and the queens were always so beautiful. In all those years of singing to the queens, we only had one queen who ever wrote a thank you note to us.
 It's amazing how many people enjoy the music in the park on Sunday evenings. They bring their blankets and chairs and enjoy the music and visiting with old friends. The kids love to run up and down the little hill and playover on the bear cage. The little pond and the beautiful flowers add so much to the atmosphere.
 Gee it's fun enjoy the concerts now and it's always really fun to remember back when....

Pictures Tell the Payson Story--Payson High School

    PAYSON HIGH SCHOOL

  

Payson High 1916

  The original Payson High School building served the community of Payson for many years.  It the was constructed on the east side Main Street between 600 and 700 South.  The campus was comprised of an entire city block.  The new building opened to classes in January 1913.  The books and supplies had been moved from the Central School where classes had been held previously.

Payson High School about 1920

  Melvin Wilson was the first principal of the new school.    He remained in position until 1923.  Heber Curtis, who later became a long-time educator in Nebo School District, was the first student body president of the school.

Gym Constructed in 1939

  In 1939 a new gymnasium was constructed to the south of the original school.  A the same time as the construction of the new gym, the school was enlarged and renovated.  A large new addition was added to the east of the building.

High School and campus about 1950

  In 1967, the last senior class to graduate from the old high school bid a fond farewell.  An era that lasted fifty-five years came to an end when the high school classes moved to the newly constructed high school located about four blocks to the south on Main Street.  It opened for classes in the fall of 1967 and is just ending its 39th year of service in the school district. 
    The fall of 1967 saw a new chapter begin in the life of the old building.  The 8th and 9th grades were moved from the old Payson Junior High, located across the street from Memorial Park,  to the old high school building and it became Payson Junior High School.  The old junior high became Payson Middle School which housed the 6th and 7th grade classes for the Payson Schools.
    The old building served as a junior high until the mid-1970's  when a new building was constructed.  The old building later fell to a wrecker’s ball.  The gym was torn down several years later.  The block was cleared and the new Centennial Park was built.
    1n 2008 a new city swimming pool and skate park was constructed on the site of the old high school building.  The thousands of students who passed through the halls of the old school have fond memories of the time they spent there.

REMEMBER WHEN FROM THE PAST--PATTEN'S AMOCO

REMEMBER WHEN
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Kenna Holm
  
PATTEN’S AMOCO (UTOCO)

    Oh, there are so many good old memories of Payson. It seems just like yesterday that some of all these stores I've written about were around. One placeIlike to remember is the ServiceStation that stood on the corner where Crest is now. Idon't know who built it but Don and DuanePatten ran it for a few years.

They opened it on April 6 of 1957. It was a UTOCO Station. They had the grand opening in a big snow storm but that didn't see to slow people from coming in. Everyone knew the Patten boys. They were twins and a great pair of guys.

   That  first  day, they sold nearly 3000 gallons of gas and at a whopping 25  cents  a  gallon. Duane's  wife,  Janice,  said  she figured they made about 1 cent per gallon.  Those were the days you got  full  service at  the  stations. You'd  pull  up and  immediately, someone would run out to wait on you. While the gas was pumping into you tank they would wash all your windows, check your oil and tires. (gosh those were the days. I hate to pump myown gas now).
The day of the grand opening, they handed out thermometers, scrapers, and calendars. Not only that, they served hot chocolate, drinks, and doughnuts. Roe Wilde, who owned Roe’s Bakery, made the doughnuts and the station kept running out because they had so many customers come in. He would keep running more doughnuts down to them and kept them well supplied.
     They worked well together. Don loved doing the office work and keeping the books and as Janice said, Duane was true to form, enjoyed doing the mechanic work. Duane was one of the best mechanics in town.  The garage section of the station was always full of cars being repaired.
Duane and Janice lived by us and were good neighbors. We had kids about the same age they played together. Duane was always helping everyone with their cars.
Everyone loved to congregate at the station and shoot the breeze. My dad was a big fan of theirs and went there all the time.  If there was a funeral in town, theywould wash the families cars for free as a show of love and concern for those who mourned.
     Dick Lant run a car lot in Spanish Fork and when he would go to auctions, he would bring the cars back and the Patten boys would detail them for him. They would steam clean the engines, shampoos and clean the interiors and make sure everything was clean and shined and working properly..
Dee Stevenson, who worked for them while attending college,  told me they were the best people he has ever worked  for. They had different fellows work there, Don Tanner, Larry Jackson, Dee, Earl Beardall, Scott Christensen and several others who worked there during the years they operated..
Don left Payson and moved to Spanish Fork but he was still involved with the operation on the station.  I'm not sure when it changed names but it later went to AMOCO (American Oil Company)
Don's wife Kathryn said they all nearly starved to death because they didn't make very much money (I guess not if they only made 1 cent per gallon).
     In 1966, Don and Kathryn moved to California and I believe Duane went to work for Duke Page and later Nebo School District. I know Duane was also a Payson Police Officer at one time.
We were in the Fire Department with both of them for many years. Duane was in the department over 50 years before he retired from it. Janice and I worked together in church callings. They are great people.
     Duane died and about 6 months later  to the day and to the hour, Don also passed away. Their death’s left a great void in the lives of those that they had called “Friend.”

     I'm not sure how many time the station changed hands over the course but I do remember Tom Daley and later Alma Willey run the station for awhile. And now it is a busy corner with Crest being there but isn't it fun to remember back when....