Old Tithing Office

In 1895 the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints built this sandstone structure, consisting of three rooms and a basement, to serve the community as a tithing office. When the Montpelier First Ward was divided in 1916, meetings of the new Third Ward were held here. It has also been used for class rooms, church auxiliaries, Boy Scouts, etc. In 1963 the building was given to the Daughters of Utah Pioneers of Montpelier to be used as a relic hall.

The text above is from the Daughters of Utah Pioneers historic marker #311, erected in 1965 and located on Clay Street in Montpelier, Idaho.

• D.U.P. Historic Markers

These photos were summited by Marshall Hurst:

Early Settlements

The south part of this area, known as Presto, was settled in 1870 by the Burrell, Just and Shoemaker families. In 1883 the Pritchett family came to Cedar Hollow. Later the Goshen, and the Christensen Monson, Hansen, Jensen, Teeples, Stoddard families and other between 1893-1895. Irrigation water was supplies from Cedar Hollow, Blackfoot River, Sand Creek, and the Idaho Canal. The first schools were held in Presto and served the entire area. Between 1896-1899 a school and Latter-day Saints church were erected in Goshen. The ward was organized in 1900 with Lars Sorensen, bishop.

The above text is from Daughters of Utah Pioneers marker #199 erected in 1954 at 790 North Russel Street Street in Shelley, Idaho.

• D.U.P. Historic Markers

These photos provided by Marshall Hurst:

Cedar Point – Basalt

In 1879 the U.&N. Railroad Co. named their water stop, Basalt. Henry R. Whitmill settled in Cedar Point in 1884. Andrew O. Inglestrom filed on land, 1885. Others followed, built canal, homes, L.D.S. church house, cheese factory, two stores, saloon, blacksmith shop, log schoolhouse, L.M. Caps, teacher, postoffice, Marion Kerr, post mistress. Willian Dye dug first well. Cedar Point name changed to Basalt, 1888. Due to railroad improvements, the town was moved east in 1903.

The above text is from Daughters of Utah Pioneers marker #373 erected in 1970 at 824 North 675 East in Bingham, Idaho.

• D.U.P. Historic Markers

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Taylor Settlement

Six men came to this area from Hooper, Utah, to homestead in the early spring of 1885: John, Edward and William Priest, Smith Johnson, and Edwin and Abiah Wadsworth Jr. They each built a log house on their claim before returning to Utah for their families. Leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), headquartered in Salt Lake, were informed of this small settlement. In 1886 Apostle John W. Taylor of the LDS Church was sent to organize the group into a branch, a part of the Bannock Stake with headquarters in Rexburg, Idaho. The decision was made to name the ward in honor of Apostle Taylor. William Priest became the first bishop. The first church meetings were held in Abiah Wadsworth Jr.’s home.

By 1886 a log structure was erected for public use on land donated by John Priest. The first teacher was John Henry Evans, the church recorder. A second multi-purpose structured, a two-room, 39 by 60 foot white frame building was built in the mid 1890s. This building burned during the winter of 1904, taking with it all church and school records. In 1905 a two-room brick building was completed. Church, school, and dances were held in the building until a church was constructed in 1915.

To water this arid, sagebrush-covered land, the pioneers had to dig a 10-mile-long irrigation canal from Eagle Rock, located to the north. Hay and grain, their first crops, were grown in 1890.

The beautiful Taylor Cemetery was established in April 1887 when Abiah Wadsworth Jr. and Willian Arave purchased 5 acres of land for $65 to bury Ellen, the infant daughter of Sarah and Abiah Wadsworth, Jr.

The above text is from Daughters of Utah Pioneers marker #527 erected in 2000 at 127 S 1st Street in Taylorville, Idaho.

• D.U.P. Historic Markers

These photos provided by Marshall Hurst: