Milford's Historical Park

Milford's Historical Park. . , Milford’s Historical Park , 1974-2022, Milford's beautiful Historical Park had its beginning in 1974 when Milford's Historical Society was formed with Gladys Whittaker as its founder and first president. The Historical Society as soon as it was organized began planning and working towards building a Historical Park in a spot just south of the Milford Library., Most people would have run from task. The area to be used for the park was full of trees, and weeds, and looked a little like a weed-infested jungle. But under the direction of President Gladys Whittaker, men and women like Vvs Baxter, Ione Baxter, Norm Baxter, Ira Fisher, Gayle Gale, Jay Gustaveson, McCoy Williams, Bob Price, Dora Walker, Red Wilson, Nick and Wilna Swain, Leora McCulley, and others rolled up their sleeves and did the work that had to be done to make the Park a reality. Weeds and some trees were disposed of by willing shovel-holders, and the city was approached to lay plastic and cinders in some areas and white rock under the trees that were kept. Milford High School's eighth and ninth graders donated their efforts to help weed and clean the park area. Wayne Wiseman donated enough ties to terrace the hillside at the park. Nick Swain, Doug Denny and Jay Gustaveson did most of the work making a beautiful walkway covered with rocks which wound through the Park and added to the Park's beauty. The Booster Club, headed by its president Bryan Sherwood, along with members Lucille and Wayne Hardy, Ken Munk, and Sheila Brinkman spent hours, along with their offspring, putting finishing touches on the park., In 1976 a Big Springs water tower preserved a bit of railroad history forever when it was set up in the park. The brush was planted on the hill, and the large Union Pacific Shield was also installed in the park on August 5, 1982, by Doug Denny, Jay Gustaveson, and Nick Swain. The Historical Society had tried to save the train depot from being torn down, but had failed, but they had the Union Pacific Shield from the depot to place in their park. In January of 1983, members from the Old Timers Club rocked the front of an authentic mine tunnel in the Historical Park placed a brightly colored ore dump in the front of the opening, and painted and placed a railroad car in front of the opening of the mine, all under the direction of Chairman Wally Fotheringham. In August of 1983, Doug and Ann Denny, Nick and Wilna Swain, and Jay Gustaveson went to Frisco to get a giant granite boulder that was used on holidays in the mining town for drilling contests and placed it in the park. In 1984 a school bell that had been used at the Reed School north of Milford was placed in the park. The bell had been purchased from Alfred Horton by Nick Swain. At that time the bell was given to the class of 1976 because it had a 1776 on it, and they used it for their graduation. Gale Banks kept the bell in his care until it was installed at the park in 1984. In 1985 the park was completed and dedicated to Milford City., In February of 1977, a free-standing ramada, detailing the Dominican-Escalante expedition through Utah and the Milford area, including information about the Indian inhabitants encountered, was placed in the park., In 2022, Milford City organized a 150th Birthday Celebration Committee to plan for the celebration that will be held in September 2023. The committee consists of Makayla Bealer, Kara Finch, Lynae Malchus, Gina Mayer, Karen Nelson, Valorie Rollins, Monica Seifers, Russell Smith, Ruth Smith, Lisa Thompson, Dolly Turner, and Sherri Yardley. The committee's first matter of business was to restore the Historical Park and bring it back to life. They began the restoration with two cleanups completed by the committee members. It was so sad to see how neglected and overgrown with weeds and trees the Park had become. The monuments were faded, cracked, and very weathered. The old Union Pacific sign needed to be painted again, and the volunteers did a fantastic job of repainting it. A community work party was held later, and lots of the community and football players came to help lay small rocks in areas where needed. The football team, along with the committee, completed the last part of laying the rock on the rock path that winds through the park. Many people donated their time and efforts to this year's restoration project. The curbing and rock removal was done by Adrien Jones. The gray rock was donated by Martin Marietta and the pebble rock by Kelly Rollins. Justin Finch came and brought in the gray rock and helped move all the old machinery. Lisa Florence donated the necessary painting supplies. Gary Mayer replaced and cemented loose rocks on the walkway, and Mark Nelson sprayed linseed oil on the ramada. Clark Dalton restored the bench that was placed there years ago by David Erickson as an Eagle Scout project. The monuments in the park were restored by Headstone Restoration., It is this committee's wish, as well as the wish of past Historical Society members, that we honor and appreciate this beautiful park and all the volunteers who made it possible. This quote came from Margaret Ann Miller, “I came to realize that a generation which ignores history has no past and no future. This beautiful restored park reminds us that by learning from the past our future can be made bright and shiny again."