This area was first settled beginning in 1856. In 1934, a large area of some 33 square miles, comprising the settlements of Clover, St. John, and Vernon, was incorporated into a town called Onaqui. The incorporation was essentially a bureaucratic tactic to secure federal aid for development of municipal infrastructure, including from the Rural Electrification Administration. When the people of Vernon were granted a petition to incorporate separately on 22 February 1972, the remaining town was renamed Rush Valley.
LOOKOUT POINT Look north, see trees that mark site of TOD PARK, which was home for civilian employees of Army Depot (1943-1960). Look northwest, see the 10,000 acres of Tooele Army Depot ammunition storage, warehouses, mainenance shops and administration buildings. Look west, see the water mark on South Mountain made by Old Lake Bonneville at the 5200 foot level. Look south, see the geologic wonder of Stockton Bar which was created by wave action of Old Lake Bonneville. Look down west, see the trees that mark the site of the Ghost Town of Bauer (private property), the Honerine Tunnel adit, and the terminix of the old Utah Nevada Western Railroad (1885-1905). Look east in gully, see Soldier Bridge on old road built by Steptoe’s Army in 1854. Look northeast, see bench across Silcox Canyon which was created by an earthquake that happened before the last Ice Age. Glaciers cut through the bench and created a wide flat bottom canyon.
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Stockton has a lot of “firsts,” it was the hone of the First Electric Light in the State, the First Smelter Center in the West, and the First Mining Camp in the State, first town in the Utah Territories to have its streets surveyed and named and the first town to get a telephone.
STEPTOE’S MILITARY CAMP GODBE’S CHICAGO SMELTER (At spring 700 feet S.W.) A detachment of the U.S. Army, the first to enter the Rocky Mountain Region, consisting of two companies of artillery, 85 dragoons, 130 teamsters, herders and hostlers from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, under command of Col. E.J. Steptoe, reached this point September 2, 1854. They erected quarters, stables and corrals, cut 200 cords of wood and stored 200 tons of hay for their 450 mules and 300 horses. The camp was located on the east shore of Lake Shambip (Rush Lake). The detachment left for Benecia, California, in early April, 1855. An Overland Stage Station was located here from 1868 to the early 1870’s. Wm. S. Godbe’s Chicago Ore smelter was erected here in 1871 and operated until about 1880. The town was known as Slagtown. The present line of the Union Pacific Railroad reached here in 1902.
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In the Spring of 1871 Dr. Jeter F. Clinton built his “Lake House” in this area. A pier was built to the water’s edge, bath houses and other attractions were built and the steamboat anchored here. Remains of the pier are still visible.
In the fall of 1874 Dr. Clinton replaced the Lake House with a large three-storied stone hotel. It was elegantly furnished and fitted for parties. The resort flourished for a time. The Kate Connor, a steamboat owned by General Patrick Connor, navigated the lake and was used as an excursion boat.
The Clinton Hotel was well known all over Utah Territory. Transportation from Salt Lake City was provided by the Utah Nevada Western Railroad. Dr. Clinton’s rock home renovated is still in use. In 1885 the lake receded and sandbars appeared so extensively in the lake the resort was doomed. In 1889 Dr. Clinton sold some of his holdings to Mr. William Glassman, a real estate developer. He had big plans to build a city. He mapped it out, planted 5,000 trees and drilled 6 artesian wells.
For added attraction Mr. Glassman contracted with Buffalo Jones of Manitoba, Canada to deliver 100 head of buffalo. Thirty-five buffalo were received in poor condition. They did survive and increase. Notwithstanding the attraction of the herd of buffalo, Buffalo Park made no hit with the public, the buffalo were transported to Antelope Island and Buffalo Park was abandoned.
There is a historic marker not far from here that was placed on a boulder taken from the Old Buffalo Ranch.
See other historic markers in the series on this page for SUP Markers.
