Fort Utah in Provo in Utah County, Utah — The American Mountains (Southwest)
A Curious Craft Once Skimmed the Ice on Utah Lake
One in a Series of Events from Provo's History
An 80-horsepower LeRhone airplane engine and propeller mounted on an elevated stand in front of the body provided the means of locomotion. The pilot steered the craft by using a third, movable runner and a large rudder that resembled the tail of an airplane. There was one major problem that made trips more exciting: the vehicle had no brakes.
The men took the curious craft for its first trip on Utah Lake in January, 1924. It reached speeds of approximately 60 miles per hour. The builders anticipated that under optimum conditions with no snow and smooth ice, it could achieve eighty miles per hour. Strong and Smith made four more trips to the frozen lake that year. When the roads were covered with snow, they drove their creation to the shore and onto the frozen surface of the lake. This doubtless scared many horses and startled many people they happened to pass on the way to the lake.
A reporter for the Deseret News covered one of their trips to the lake. When he asked Hewitt the name of the strange vehicle, the young Provo man replied, “Damned if I know.” From that response, the reporter christened the craft the Dami-phi-no,” and the name stuck. During the summer, the owners attached pontoons to the rails and sailed their creation on open water.
After several seasons, the novelty of the curious craft, as well as its canvas, wore thin, and the men put the “Dami-phi-no” in mothballs, awaiting its inevitable salvage.
Erected by Rotary International and Provo Parks & Recreation. (Marker Number 57.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1924.
Location. 40° 14.159′ N, 111° 41.612′ W. Marker is in Provo, Utah, in Utah County. It is in Fort Utah. Marker can be reached from North Geneva Road north of West Center Street. Marker is located at Fort Utah Skate Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 200 N Geneva Rd, Provo UT 84601, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Large Showboat Once Sailed on Utah Lake (a few steps from this marker); Fort Utah (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); The City of Provo was founded in 1849 by Mormon pioneers (approx. 1.3 miles away); Provo Once Had a Silk Industry (approx. 1.3 miles away); The Octogon House (approx. 1.4 miles away); Angus G. Beebe House (approx. 1.4 miles away); The Beebe House (approx. 1.4 miles away); Provo's Mormon Pioneers (approx. 1.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Provo.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 16, 2023, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 68 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 16, 2023, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.