Draper in Salt Lake County, Utah — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Life on the farm…

Draper Historic Rail

Photographed by Jason Voigt, May 10, 2023

1. Life on the farm… Marker

Inscription. By many standards, Utah land is not well suited to agriculture - Nature has been stingy in that regard. Good crop land is scarce. Water is not plentiful, nor can it even be found in many places. Yet, driven by a sense of gathering and a yearning for order. Mormon pioneers preferred an agricultural approach to the land in contrast to developing mining or industry. Recognizing the scarcity of good cropland, the early settlers chose to band together and develop the land as a community, rather than individually. Together they built extensive canal systems to bring precious water from the mountains to their otherwise parched land, and soon the desert "blossomed as a rose," as they liked to say. The Draper Irrigation Company was incorporated in 1888.

This spirit of communalism served Draper very well for many years. Land values remained low. Debt was rare. Diversified self-sustaining agriculture was dominant. For many area families, care of the land had much deeper meaning than just economics - it was a way of life.

In the 1920s, with congressional help, cooperatives were established to help market area crops. A strong

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partnership with the railroads was key to their success. In Draper, the Utah Poultry Producers and Draper Egg & Feed both had warehouses near the tracks which eventually transitioned into Intermountain Farmers Association - a member owned cooperative that continues to thrive today. In this way, Draper remained a vibrant and prosperous farming community for many generations.

(aside:)

Cash on the barrelhead! This term originated in the days when upended barrels served as both seats and tables in bars, and customers were required to pay for their drinks immediately, literally putting their money on the top (head) of a barrel.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Agriculture. A significant historical year for this entry is 1888.

Location. 40° 31.527′ N, 111° 51.574′ W. Marker is in Draper, Utah, in Salt Lake County. It is on Pioneer Road near South 1130 East, on the right when traveling west. Marker is located at Draper Town Center Station. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1131 Pioneer Rd, Draper UT 84020, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the

Photographed by Jason Voigt, May 10, 2023

2. Life on the farm… Marker

Marker is the farthest on the left.

Wasatch Front

and in Greater Salt Lake.

It is also in the American Mountain West

and on the Colorado Plateau.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Rocky Mountains,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Egg Came First (here, next to this marker); In the Spotlight (here, next to this marker); Egg Basket of WWII (here, next to this marker); "Milk White" (here, next to this marker); Eggs Across America (a few steps from this marker); On the Table (a few steps from this marker); Cold As Ice (a few steps from this marker); What's in a name? (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Draper.

Credits. This page was last revised on May 28, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 28, 2023, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 238 times since then and 28 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 28, 2023, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.