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Payson Posts:

On October 20, 1850, sixteen members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon Church) arrived at the banks of the Peteetneet Creek with a mandate td establish a new settlement. They had
been chosen by Brigham Young and had journeyed from Salt Lake City, sixty miles to the north. The settlers built a small fort at approximately 300 North between Main Street and 100 West. In 1851 more families arrived
and the settlement was named Payson, after one of the first settlers, James Pace. The Payson Post Office was established in 1852 and the town incorporated in 1853. The Walker Indian War of 1853 disrupted the settlement for a time, but relations between the settlers and the Utes were fairly peaceful. The only other conflict was during the Black Hawk War of 1865. The fort was enlarged during the 1850s. An adobe wall (partially completed) became the back wall of the cabins, which faced the interior. A tithing office, bowery, well and visitor campground were located in the central square of the fort. Though the fort was demolished, markers were placed by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers (DUP) to mark the four corners in 1931. The cautious settlers were slow to build permanent homes outside of the fort.

Early names were Peteetneet, Fort Peteetneet, Pacen for James Pace, and then Pacen was changed to Payson when the town was incorporated.