Porterville in Morgan County, Utah — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Porterville
Photographed By G Cascio, August 13, 2011
1. Porterville Marker
Inscription.
Porterville was settled by the members of the Porter Family. Sanford Porter Jr., while on duty as a scout in the winter of 1857-58, rode into a canyon so rocky and difficult to travel that he named it Hardscrabble. Here he found a stream of water and abundant timber, ideal for a sawmill. In 1859 the family hauled machinery and supplies over the Wasatch Mountains by pack mule and built the first sawmill in Morgan County. In 1860 Sanford Sr. and Nancy Warriner Porter built a cabin five miles east of the mill and spent the first winter here. During the following two years, four sons, Chauncy, John, Sanford Jr., and Lyman built log homes and moved their families into the valley., For several years after the settlers came, Chief Washakie and his band of Shoshone Indians returned each fall to hunt, fish and dry meat, and pick berries., In 1863 English converts began to arrive. In 1864 a branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized., When the railroad was built through Morgan County, the Porter Mill furnished ties to lay the track from Echo to Devil’s Gate.
Porterville was settled by the members of the Porter Family. Sanford Porter Jr., while on duty as a scout in the winter of 1857-58, rode into a canyon so rocky and difficult to travel that he named it Hardscrabble. Here he found a stream of water and abundant timber, ideal for a sawmill. In 1859 the family hauled machinery and supplies over the Wasatch Mountains by pack mule and built the first sawmill in Morgan County. In 1860 Sanford Sr. and Nancy Warriner Porter built a cabin five miles east of the mill and spent the first winter here. During the following two years, four sons, Chauncy, John, Sanford Jr., and Lyman built log homes and moved their families into the valley.
For several years after the settlers came, Chief Washakie and his band of Shoshone Indians returned each fall to hunt, fish and dry meat, and pick berries.
In 1863 English converts began to arrive. In 1864 a branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized.
When the railroad was built through Morgan County, the Porter Mill furnished ties to lay the track from Echo to Devil’s Gate.
Erected 1986 by Hardscrablle Camp, Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. (Marker Number 433.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Churches & Religion
Location. 40° 58.85′ N, 111° 40.683′ W. Marker is in Porterville, Utah, in Morgan County. Marker is at the intersection of South State Street (Utah Route 66) and South Morgan Valley Road, on the right when traveling south on South State Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3100 South Morgan Valley Drive, Morgan UT 84050, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on October 30, 2011, by Gwen Cascio of Logan, Utah. This page has been viewed 982 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on October 30, 2011, by Gwen Cascio of Logan, Utah. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.
