Helper's Rich History

Helper's Rich History. . , Helper was first settled in 1881 by Teancum Pratt and his plural wives. He then settled into what he described as "a lonely wilderness" where he sought to escape the "hunters, trappers and bachelors and raveheads in the area of his previous farm along Gordon Creek. The railroad was coming and less than six months after he filed on his homestead, he sold parts of his family's property to the DR&G railroad. Soon, a railyard was born. , , Helper's name arrived with the railyard and its neccesity of "helper" steam engines. These engines were attached to the trains traveling to Northern Utah, “helping” the trains with the steep grade [illegible] in Price Canyon. , , At that time trains needed steam. Steam required coal, and mining coal required men. Soon immigrants arrived in Helper by the hundreds, searching for the “American Dream.” Italians, Greeks, Yugoslavians, Japanese, Slovenians and Chinese flooded the area. Many labored in the mines throughout Helper and the surrounding areas, but some soon left mining to create businesses. Photos of Helper from the early 1900s show Greek [illegible] houses, [illegible], Japanese restaurants, [illegible] ... , , The western Mining and Railroad Museum , A must see in Helper is The Western Mining and Railroad Museum. The stories of the mines and railroads and the inmigrants who worked them is shown in the many exhibits. Explore the basement and stand where Butch Cassidy stood when he robbed the Castlegate payrool, shop the company store and be awed [illegible] in the coal camps. Housed in the old Helper Hotel, the Museum provides a trip back in time to the beginnings of Helper and the hard working people who formed its character. , , Also, make sure to stop by the mining equipment and museum yard to see the amazing machines used in the coal mine today. You will also see [illegible] cars and the [illegible]... , , [Second panel] , Historic Main Steet , No visit to Helper would be complete without a stop by the Historical District, which includes Main Street. Here, local restaurants, coffee shops, antique stores, art galleries, and unique buildings all contribute to its charm and character. , , [remainder of marker effectively illegible]