Articles featuring Old Towne Vernal

Giant reptile
greets visitors to
Vernal, Utah

From Out West #25, January, 1994

By Chuck Woodbury

Been to Vernal, Utah? Then you've seen the Beast -- the huge Tyrannosaurus Rex along U.S. 40, right across the street from Dinah, the mascot of the Dine-a-ville Motel. The two have been welcoming folks to town for 23 years.

George Millecam, now 74, owned the Dine-a-ville back in 1969 when he decided to build some dinosaurs. The T-Rex became the fifth and final dinosaur he would ever build. And, arguably, it is his best.

He'd never built a dinosaur before, but it seemed like a good idea. After all, even then, Vernal was big-time dinosaur country. Nowadays, in fact, it's the official headquarters of Utah's "Dinosaurland." Dinosaur National Monument is just a few miles out of town, and who knows how many real life (but dead, of course) dinosaurs are still buried in these parts?

Millecam is a self-taught dinosaur builder. "I went down to the library and the field house and got pictures of all the dinosaurs I could find," he recalls. Being a carpenter all my life, building 'em wasn't too hard."

Why dinosaurs?

"We had to do something to attract customers to the motel. I decided to build a dinosaur park-- kind of a miniature Disneyland. So I went ahead and built the dinosaurs."

But his mini-Disneyland flopped, and after two years, Millecam donated his property across U.S. 40 to the city of Vernal. And up went the T-Rex.

He dispatched the other dinosaurs elsewhere. Four are in nearby Dinosaur, Colo., where the Stegosaurus stands proudly in front of the county office building. Vernal erected a welcome sign in front of its new T-Rex.

Tourists began stopping to snap photos and, to this day, they still snap. Who knows how much money Kodak has made off this impressive reptile facsimile? Millecam knows how much he's made: nothing. "If I had a nickel for every photo that's been taken, I could retire a lot better than I am," he said.

At 23 feet, the T-Rex is a mighty beast -- a roadside legend with a frame of steel. Millecam welded it together piece by piece then covered it with metal lath, and then blasted it with stucco. The result: Perhaps the most outstanding and impressive artificial dinosaur to welcome a tourist to a town anywhere in the world!

The T-Rex shares the spotlight with another beast across the road -- Dinah, herself a masterpiece -- a unique, pink reptile with gorgeous eyelashes. She's definitely female and bears a slight resemblance to the legendary Brontosaurus.

Millecam didn't design Dinah. His wife Helen did. She constructed a five-inch miniature, which she still has today. The Young Sign Company of Salt Lake City was commissioned to build the beast.

Dinah is lovable-looking and fiberglass. And even though she's as gentle as can be, some folks insist on shooting her with bows and arrows. "You notice more arrows during hunting season," said Millecam.

Other folks claim the arrows are the nocturnal work of the high school archery club. Who knows?

But the story does not stop here. A short drive east of Vernal is the Colorado border town of Dinosaur, where yet another dinosaur tale is to be told. Unfortunately it's a sad story of a recent closing of the Dina Freeze Drive-In. No longer can a hungry traveler motoring west or east across lonely U.S. 40 order a Bronto Burger, like Out West did less than three years ago!

It was good. It was cheap.

It was legendary.

And it's gone--another strike against the Great American Roadside and the independent fast food joint.

But we end on good news. The tourism leaders of Dinosaurland have made a most generous offer to Out West readers. They have offered to send you one of their fabulous Dinosaur Hunting Licenses -- perfect for framing or just looking at. And, get this: There is absolutely no charge. None! Simply go to your phone and dial 1-800-789-9571. Tell them you are an Out West reader and you want your dinosaur hunting license. They will send it. And you will be glad.

http://www.outwestnewspaper.com/dino.html

Old Towne Alliance

Vernal, Utah

From Wikipedia

Vernal is a city located in Uintah County, Utah. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 7,714. It is the county seat of Uintah County ⁶.

[edit]

Geography

Vernal is located at 40°27'17" North, 109°32'8" West (40.454758, -109.535471)¹.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.9 km² (4.6 mi²). 11.9 km² (4.6 mi²) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water.

[edit]

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there are 7,714 people, 2,709 households, and 1,977 families residing in the city. The population density is 650.3/km² (1,683.4/mi²). There are 2,957 housing units at an average density of 249.3/km² (645.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 94.52% White, 0.18% African American, 2.31% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.18% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. 4.45% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 2,709 households out of which 41.2% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% are married couples living together, 12.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% are non-families. 22.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.77 and the average family size is 3.28.

In the city the population is spread out with 32.3% under the age of 18, 13.0% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 17.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 28 years. For every 100 females there are 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 91.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $30,357, and the median income for a family is $34,453. Males have a median income of $32,137 versus $20,938 for females. The per capita income for the city is $13,497. 14.8% of the population and 14.7% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 20.6% are under the age of 18 and 8.7% are 65 or older.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernal%2C_Utah"

Old Towne Alliance

Vernal, Uintah County's largest city, is located in eastern Utah near the Colorado State Line, and 175 miles east of Salt Lake City. It is bordered on the north by the Uinta Mountains, one of the few mountains ranges in the world which lie in an east-west rather than the usual north to south direction. The Book Cliff Mountains lie to the south, and Blue Mountain to the east, while Vernal itself lies in Ashley Valley, named in honor of William H. Ashley, an early fur trader who entered this area in 1825 by floating down the Green River in a bull boat made of animal hides.

Vernal, unlike the majority of Utah towns, was not settled initially by Mormon pioneers. Brigham Young sent a scouting party to Uinta Basin in 1861 and received word back the area was good for nothing but nomad purposes, hunting grounds for Indians and "to hold the world together." That same year, President Abraham Lincoln set the area aside as the Uintah Indian Reservation. Captain Pardon Dodds was appointed Indian agent for this reservation.

When Dodds retired, he moved Ashley Valley to raise livestock, along with agency workers, Morris Evans and John Blankenship. They arrived on 14 February 1873 and settled on Ashley Creek. Dodds built the first cabin in the valley, located about four miles northwest of present day Vernal. Many single men--trappers, prospectors, home seekers, and drifters--arrived in Ashley Valley, and some stayed. However, there wasn't a woman in the area until 1876.

The area where Vernal is now located was called the Bench, and it was described as a large barren cactus flat. The David Johnston family moved onto the Bench on 6 June 1878. It was reported that when they stopped their wagon, David took his shovel from the wagon and cleared off the cactus so the children could stand without getting cactus needles in their feet. He put the wagon on logs to keep it off the ground as there were many lizards, horned toads, scorpions, mice, and snakes in the area. Alva Hatch came to the valley looking for a place to locate in May 1978. He returned later with his family and his father, Jeremiah Hatch, along with Jeremiah's two wives. The fall of 1879 brought many settlers to the valley.

...On 29 September 1879 the Meeker Massacre occurred in Colorado, with the White River Utes killing their agent, Nathan Meeker, among others. Renegade Utes then rode to Ashley Valley to convince the Uintah Utes to join them in killing all the white people in the area. Instead, the Uintah chiefs advised the settlers to "fort-up." A fort was built on the Bench due to its open expanse. Many settlers of Ashley Valley took their cabins apart, moving them to the fort site. The incident was settled, but the people remained in the fort that winter. The winter was severe, killing most of the animals. The humans also suffered. Much of their grain had been gathered from the ground, since grasshoppers had knocked it from the plant stocks; it became moldy. Diphtheria took its toll. It was March before they could get out of the valley for supplies.

Many families moved their cabins back to their homesteads, others remained in the fort. A town grew out of the fort and became known as Ashley Center. A store was opened and the residents applied for a post office. The name Ashley Center was requested, but it was too similar to the town of Ashley; therefore, the name Vernal was assigned to the community by the U.S. Postal Department.

The enterprising settlers of the valley developed a basic irrigation system that still serves the valley today. Because of the distance to a major railhead, settlers produced, manufactured, and developed about everything they needed. The leading livelihood was the cattle and sheep; milling, the production of honey, and the farming of grains and alfalfa were also important. Vernal still remains without a railroad, but the highway transportation system has enabled the city's residents to have access to most good and services..

Although the LDS Church helped set up Vernal as a town in 1884, the town wasn't incorporated until 1897. Vernal thus had the distinction of being a city without taxation for fifteen years. In 1948 Vernal had its first oil boom. From that time on it has been a boom and bust town. A thriving tourist business by Dinosaur National Monument, as well as livestock and agriculture production, help keep Vernal going during "bust" times.

Flaming Gorge Dam was built in 1964, bringing more tourists to the area. Steinaker and Red Fleet dams, built in 1962 and 1980, provided irrigation water and recreation. As with many cities, big stores have moved to the outskirts of town, but small businesses are keeping the downtown area alive. The population of Vernal City in 1990 was 6,644. Vernal, being the county seat, draws from a county population of 22,211 and also from western Colorado.

Doris K. Burton

http://www.utahtravelcenter.com/cities/vernal/history.htm

Old Towne Alliance

Brown's Park/Green River, Bridge Hollow Campground, Indian Crossing - Camping, Ranger Station, Equestrian Facility, Boat Ramp, Fishing, Watchable Wildlife, Scenic Byway

Step back into the wild west, see for yourself one of the places where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid hid out, or float down the Green River where John Wesley Powell ventured, the first white man to explore this river in 1869. In the 1880s John Jarvie, a Scotsman, settled in the remoteness of Brown's Park near the Green River. He built a store, post office, river ferry--a regular stopping place for travelers. Its still a good place to stop and visit and see relics of the old west. If you want to camp, Bridge Hollow or Indian Crossing Campground are open for use. If you're a fisherman, you won't want to miss the blue ribbon trout fishing in the Green River.

Fantasy Canyon

One of the Uintah Basin's best kept secrets is Fantasy Canyon. The outstanding feature of Fantasy Canyon is the striking example of deep erosion in the softer beds which leaves the more durable sandstone standing in odd and strange shapes. Legend has it that Fantasy Canyon was formed when evil creatures of the nether region dug up to the surface and were turned to stone by a medicine man before they could take over the earth. See if you can see the Devil Chief, the Great Mother Witch, and the rest of them frozen in time.

Pariette Wetland - Hiking, Fishing, Watchable Wildlife

Surrounded by miles and miles of harsh, arid desert, Pariette Wetlands is a green, marshy home for shorebirds, Canada geese, and ducks of all kinds. Recent bird counts indicate 60 different species of birds now nest here making Pariette one of the more significant wetland nurseries in the Uintah Basin. This desert oasis is a prime spot for watching wildlife. Spring and fall are great times to photograph, watch, or just enjoy the solitude in a place many consider one of the state's best kept secrets.

White River - Boat Ramp, Fishing

If you're interested in a calm river float and fine scenery, check out the White River for a relaxing run on one of Utah's best canoe-camping rivers. As you float, watch out for wildlife or see who can be the first to spot one of the many natural arches the surrounding cliffs. The White River cuts a rugged, scenic trough into the high desert plains of the Uintah Basin searching for its confluence with the Green River.

Dry Fork Canyon - Picnicking, Mountain Biking

Nestled between sandstone broken cliffs is Dry Fork Canyon, settled in the 1870s and at one time had a modest population. Now, few original buildings remain, and the canyon is renowned for its rock art--hundreds of carved and painted pictures on the cliffs. Most were done by the Fremont Culture, but some are pre-Fremont more than a 1,000 years old. The canyon also offers a beautiful shady picnic area, a relaxing drive or perhaps a mountain bike trip.

Drive through the Ages - Scenic Byway

Drive through time with series of 20 interpretive signs as your guide. On your travels, you'll pass 19 geological formations thousands of years old. This beautiful drive takes you from the small town of Vernal through several dramatic scenery changes, finally reaching the pines and cool air near Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area. Mule deer, moose, and elk are commonly seen along this roadway.

Pelican Lake - April-November, Boat Launch, Restrooms

Source: http://www.ut.blm.gov/vernal/play.html

Old Towne Alliance

http://www.utahconvention.org/restaurants.html

http://www.dinoland.com/calender.php

http://www.utahconvention.org/lodging.html

http://www.utahconvention.org/attractions.html

Old Towne Alliance