Eden's Founding

Eden's Founding. July 15, 1865. The first Anglo-european men to arrive in Ogden Valley were trappers led by Peter Skene Ogden of the Hudson's Bay Company. Most of Peter Skene Ogden's trappers were Iroquois, known as 'Freemen, an ironic misnomer since indebtedness to the Hudson's Bay Company left Iroquois Freemen far from free. Local Shoshone also accompanied Ogden's fur trapping brigade when entering this valley in May of 1825. Observing the valley to be untouched by any other trappers, Ogden dubbed the area New Hole a hole being a sheltered location such as a valley. It later took the name Ogden Hole. Soon, others followed their trails. , , The first wagon came into the valley via the North Ogden pass in 1854. The group used ropes to ease their wagon down over the cliffs. The company was led by David Moore. Charles F. Middleton, who was also in the company, wrote, "The first wagon that was taken into the valley was taken by hand of man. No mules or oxen hauled that vehicle; I steered the wagon. The wheels were locked, and my companions held onto the vehicle with ropes to prevent it from breaking loose and dashing down the steep incline. The wagon was left in the valley. , , In 1856, the valley was first used as a natural summer range for cattle, the valley's ring of mountains serving as a natural corral with grass and water available for the summer herd. , , The first home in Eden, a log cabin, was built in 1857 for summer herdsmen Erastus Bingham and Joseph Hardy. It was situated about 1½ miles east of the formal settlement of Eden. , , The first permanent settlers of Eden arrived via the North Ogden Canyon pass through Liberty. The party consisted of Joseph Grover, Sidney Teeples. Stephen Wilbur, Peter Geertsen, Josiah Ferrin, Francis Clark, Elisha Wilbur, the Moffets, the Farrells, and others. , , The first informal community was established in 1859 when 15 families moved in, coming to Eden, again, from Liberty's North Ogden pass. By 1863, the infant settlement had a population of 250; by 1870, 1,051. , , The year 1865 was an important year for the small group that had settled in this mountain valley. With the outbreak of Utah's Blackhawk War in that year, pioneer leader President Brigham Young advised communities throughout the state to move their settlements closer together. The town of Eden was then surveyed. Consisting of nine blocks of six acres each, the blocks were divided into eight lots each, with a public square as the center. Today, the historic center block is known as Eden Park, where you now stand. The area was laid out under the direction of Richard Ballantyne and was given the name of Eden, taken from the biblical garden due to its beauty and "pleasant situation. People moved in immediately. A large celebration with dedicatory activities marked the small community's official founding, July 15, 1865.