| The people of the community are ambitious,
progressive and above average ranchers. Most of the heads of families make their living
raising cattle and producing feed which is fed to the cattle during the winter months. The
Grouse Creek and Goose Creek mountains have native grasses for spring, summer and fall
grazing. Grouse Creek is probably best known for
it's deer hunting and the abundant flocks of Sage Grouse which populate their mountains. Each year, hundreds of
individuals come to Grouse Creek during the hunting seasons.
If an individual likes ranching, hunting, and
isolation, this is a great area to make your home. Because of the
isolated location, hospitals, shopping centers,implement dealers,
and other serviced are all 1-2 hours travel from Grouse Creek. The
Grouse Creek Supply has most of the necessities such as work clothes,
groceries, fuel and motor oil and a limited amount of hardware.
History:
The first settlers on the west side came from Tooele in the year
1875. They were attracted to the area because of the acres of natural meadows. Valison Tanner and his
brother, Alma C. Tanner, were the first to arrive. They brought the co-op herds to feed in
the meadow lands.
Later, Charles Kimber Jr. and William Kimber came to the valley
to work with the co-op herds. While there they established the Kimber Ranch about 15 miles
south of the Town of Grouse Creek. This ranch became a popular stopping point for
travelers coming to and from the Grouse Creek area. About this same time, Richard
Warburton Jr. and his brothers Thomas and James also came to the area and settled just
south of Etna.
During the winter of 1877, Isaac Kimball of the West Fork wrote a
letter to the Deseret News in which he described the Grouse Creek Valley as a good place
in which to locate homes. This letter attracted the attention of William C. Betteridge,
Philip A. Paskett, Robert Allen Jones, Albert F. Richin, William P. Paskett and James R.
Simpson who decided to investigate the suitability of the location with the idea of
establishing homes there. The first four named men were appointed to go to Grouse Creek to
carry on the investigation. They left Henefer on March 15, 1877, traveling by team and
reached Grouse Creek near the Buttes six days later, March 21, 1877. The following day
they staked their claims on the East Fork.
Mrs. James R. Simpson and Mrs. Albert F. Richins, who arrived
from Henefer on June 10, 1877, were the first Women on the East Fork.
These first settlers built log houses with dirt roofs and rock
floors.
The people were advised to move closer together as a convenience
for meetings and schools so the following families moved to a location about one mile from
the site of the meeting house: Phillip A. Paskett, William C. Betteridge, Sr., William P.
Paskett, Albert F. Richins, David H. Toyn, James R. Simpson, Marshall Grover and Rachel
Lee. They called this first Settlement Cookeville.
Currently the town is primarily populated with families who are
decendants of either Charles
Kimber or Valison Tanner.
Each year a Fourth of July celebration is held where many of the decendants of these two
families return to celebrate their heritage.
Can you name the individuals in the Picture? I will give
you a hint. One is a Hadfield, one a Toyn and the other is a Morgan.
E-mail me and let me know. Alan Smith (alan.smith@grousecreek.com)
Grouse Creek Golf
& Country Club |
