It was a freezing-but-sunny January day when my husband and I took a stroll up and down four blocks in the center of our new town.

At the end of the four blocks, I was so astonished with the sheer bulk of historical stuff, we walked it again, another freezing day, notebook in hand.

History, history everywhere. Perhaps your town is the same. Our new town is Spanish Fork, where we parked behind the old Thurber School on Main Street, built in 1910. It is now the City Building, but the walls are lined with historical pictures.

South on Main a few blocks is a large Family History Center. And across from the Thurber School/City Building is the city library.

As we walked north on Main from Center Street, a used bookstore beckoned. It sells the Relief Mine books by Ogden Kraut about the local gold mine. Starting block two, on the corner was a building constructed in 1904.

Millman Legacy Gallery left me gasping for breath. It houses half of Henry Hart Millman's hat collection -- a collection more than 400 hats strong, from 48 states. All hats are American with the earliest being a Mexican monk's hat from 1760.

More men's hats were displayed than women's. Our hostess, Lisa Millman, explained women's hats just didn't have the staying power that men's did.

A canvas hat painted green had been worn by a worker while constructing the Golden Gate Bridge. A pilot's hat was stamped: US Airmail. There were football helmets back to the 1800s. It will take a good deal more than two visits to enjoy the 200 hats now on display. What a historical treat!

As my husband and I traveled north on Main Street we slipped into a cowboy store, Western Unlimited. On the back wall we found antique harnesses, single trees, a pulling collar, a scythe, ice tongs, a Civil War saddle, a branding iron and draft horse halter. A chair made of horseshoes sat uncomfortably nearby.

Memorial Park with benches for weary shoppers was on the next corner north. A plaque shared info about Spanish Fork: Dominguez-Escalante Expedition 1776; Mormon Pioneers Settled 1850; city charter granted Jan. 19, 1855, with Mathew Caldwell as mayor. The population in 1860 was 1,069, in 1990 it was more than 12,000. A 2007 newspaper said the population is now 30,000 with enough housing permits already distributed to bring the population to 40,000.

We passed a scrapbooking store. Scrapbooking, of course, is essential to family history. A restored 1937 Le France fire truck lay alertly in the window of the fire station. Inside were antique fire hats, toys and trophies. Next door stood the Daughters of Utah Pioneers museum crowded with antiques and pictures, open only on Mondays from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or by appointment.

We crossed the street at 400 North and headed south. In the 300 block we came to Confetti Antiques and Books, pushed open the door and found antique dolls that grabbed my interest.

Downstairs is the antique bookstore, carrying old histories and documents, primarily of Utah and the Western United States. I plan to spend more time there.

At Stone Drug there is an old-time lunch counter with 13 red-puffed stools. We couldn't get away from history. Oh, sure, these historical places were surrounded by the usual real estate offices and restaurants. But those didn't interest us. We'll make this small circuit again, hopefully with our grandchildren.

If your town doesn't have all kinds of historical stuff like my town does, you can take a quick Internet "town" tour. Try these sites just for starters. Find historical aprons at www.apronmemories.com. Read narratives by Holocaust survivors at www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/online/phistories/. Check out many more historical materials at free.ed.gov/.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page B1.