Richfield, Utah

Richfield is about the same size as Hurricane, but it has a much more extensive downtown with many landmark buildings. Not all the downtown buildings are occupied by businesses and many of the businesses that survive are not doing very well. However, there is an endearing mixture of attractive old structures, ghost signs, painted adverts and old metal signs overhanging the sidewalks.

Just a block from Main Street is Richfield Library, which celebrated its centenary in 2014. It has many external and internal features redolent of the arts and crafts movement in the UK and/or Frank Lloyd Wright at the start of his career in architecture. Attractive use is made of red brick, glazed tiles, coloured glass, glass light fittings and wood. Some of the latter is carefully carved or turned. The sturdy wooden bookcases look original.

Other interesting buildings include the Presbyterian church, a closed bank, a laundry, an old wooden barn and a substantial structure called Young Block. Richfield Canal runs diagonally through the town. It irrigates the fields and pasture to the east. After we had eaten our evening meal, I crossed the canal three times in an area where conventional housing gives way to a trailer park, small warehouses and industrial premises. Here, large trucks park overnight and people drive along gravel roads kicking up clouds of dust.

Overnight wind and rain had cleared the previous evening’s cloudy conditions, so when we woke, the visibility was outstanding.

Richfield, Utah

Richfield, Utah

Richfield, Utah

Richfield, Utah

Richfield, Utah

Richfield Library and Pioneer Relic Hall, Richfield, Utah

Painted advert, Richfield, Utah

Old barn, Richfield, Utah

Richfield, Utah

Richfield, Utah

Richfield, Utah

Richfield, Utah

Helper, Utah

Although challenged in many ways from the economic point of view, Helper was everything that Utah settlements had so far not been. We instantly warmed to the place because of its many landmark buildings, the railroad (there was an Amtrak station, that rarest of phenomena other than in the states along the eastern seaboard), the Mining and Railroad Museum (more later), an art deco library, a 1937 New Deal post office with a 1941 mural entitled “Western Town” and its overwhelmingly blue collar character.

Helper reminded of Butte in Montana and Leadville in Colorado. But how did it get its name? We found out the following day at the museum, which provided an insight into almost all aspects of Helper’s history, the mining and railroad included. The town acquired its name because of the steam locomotives once housed in a depot so they could help trains overcome the steep gradients immediately to the north-west.

Helper, Utah

Helper, Utah

Helper Club, Helper, Utah

After looking at the landmark buildings along Main Street, we went to the Amtrak station to find that Helper was on the passenger service running once a day each way between Chicago and San Francisco. As was always the case on railroads beyond the eastern seaboard, most traffic was freight and the freight trains were usually very long. Even today, trains needed assistance as they tackled the gradients in the region. Seven diesel locomotives stood idle in the town’s marshalling yard.

Carbon Hotel, Helper, Utah

Cinema, Helper, Utah

Because we had only a short distance to drive to Green River, our destination for two nights, we returned to Helper and followed Canyon Road into Spring Canyon so we could examine the remains of two coal camps along the pretty valley. To our delight, we found evidence of a railroad that once connected Helper with the coal camps. Deer and many much smaller mammals such as ground squirrels, marmots, rabbits and chipmunks enlivened our visit.

Spring Canyon coal camp, Helper, Utah

Spring Canyon coal camp, Helper, Utah

We returned to Helper where Hilary had tea in a cafe while I took photos around the downtown area, then we spent over an hour in the Mining and Railroad Museum, which provided an excellent insight into most aspects of Helper’s history such as its migrant communities, shops, hotels, bars, bordellos, healthcare, educational provision, most notable families and everyday life in the home. Mining and the railroad may have dominated the displays, but there was a lot more to admire. A room and a corridor set aside as a gallery contained paintings and photographs evoking the appeal of the area.

Earlier, a chat with a post office employee led me to the delightful post office where I admired the 1930s’ interior and the 1941 mural. I also noted that Helper had at least one good motel (a motel in the town centre near the Amtrak station had closed and looked beyond redemption) and a restaurant called Balance Rock Eatery and Pub. The restaurant appeared to occupy an old furniture store. Balance Rock Eatery and Pub was the sort of place that people in Price drove to for a meal, despite Price having lots of restaurants and cafes of its own, some of which were good.

“Western Town” mural, Helper Post Office, Utah

Mining and Railroad Museum, Helper, Utah

Library, Helper, Utah

Helper, Utah

Helper, Utah