Historic Chesterfield

Historic Chesterfield. . Mormon pioneers settled this area along the Oregon Trail in the 1880s. The town was named Chesterfield because it reminded some of the countryside around Chesterfield, England, and to honor the settlement's founder, Chester Call. , A traditional Mormon townsite grid was laid out with 10-acre square blocks, divided into four 2.5-acre square lots. The streets were 99 feet (6 rods) wide with 16-foot sidewalks at each side. In 1885, colonists drew lots for their land allocations within the town. Following completion of a brick kiln east of town, several substantial red brick buildings were erected. Soon, a church meeting house, social hall, tithing office, and school were built, helping to establish a community. , By 1900, Chesterfield had 418 people. Chesterfield thrived for a period before new trends in farming and transportation led to its decline. With long, cold winters, dry farming was tenuous. Families worked together providing a true sense of community. The men helped each other with farm chores. They took horse-drawn wagons into the canyons to haul wood for heating and cooking, and to supply the schoolhouse and church meeting house. Women gathered for quilting, sewing, and visiting, which provided a social outlet and helped conserve wood. A dance was held in the Amusement Hall nearly every week. The agriculture depression of the 1920s and Great Depression ended the hopes of this early settlement. Farming in Chesterfield area today consists mainly of large dry farms and ranches. , Proponents of Chesterfield refused to give up their dream. The Chesterfield Foundation, formed by local citizens in 1980, is dedicated to preserving Chesterfield's heritage. The entire site has been placed on the National Register of Historic Paces.