These notes are taken from writings of Don Carlos Johnson, a son of Aaron Johnson, the first LDS Bishop and leader of Springville.

The name “Hobble Creek” came about when Barney Ward and Oliver B. Huntington came into the area in 1848 on a hunting and trapping expedition. While camped on the stream in the area, their “Bell Mare” got loose from her hobbles and the horses strolled away and were captured near the mouth of Spanish Fork Canyon.

Perhaps it would not be amiss to say that “Hobble Creek” was a very beautiful canyon before the entry of the white man. Both forks were full of timber, grass filled the broad expanses from the bottom to timber line.

The streams were clear and sparkling and filled with trout, while prairie chickens and grouse abounded. On the heads of the streams many beaver dams were located. Many of the early pioneers obtained their saw timber, posts, poles and fuel from Hobble Creek Canyon.

After the fort was finished in 1850 Aaron Johnson went on a scouting expedition as far as what has been called “Berryport Canyon” because of the vase acres of Servis berry bushes, bending under the weight of fruit, just about half dried on the bushes. The fruit was very large and sweet and not unlike raisins. A general holiday was proclaimed; all horse teams enlisted, and at daybreak, all started to the garden of the gods to lay in the winter fruit. Berryport was also named “Dry Canyon” because there was not a living stream.

At the forks, Johnson built a sawmill where a vast quantity of fine lumber was sawed, and thousands of loads of wood for fuel were obtained. After a few years, the timber being consumed, Williams Wardsworth, opened the canyon bearing his name, and Solomon Chase and sons built a saw mill, sawing many thousands of feet of lumber. Some miles above “Wardsworth Canyon, Milan Packard and William Bringhurst transported a steam saw mill. The canyon was called “Packard’s Canyon” for the “boss,” Milan Packard. This was about 1870.

What is now called “Kelley’s Grove” and “Sanford’s Farm,” contained thousands of trees, cedar, fir and pine. Most of the logs that entered into the construction of the “Old Fort” were from this grove. As we remember, William Wardsworth first settled on this land and opened up a sort of summer dairy.

Afterwards Oliver B. Huntington spent a summer or two here. About 1875 Cyrus Sanford and Joseph Kelley located on this ground as homestead entries. H.H. Cole and Henry Kearns built a sawmill about 1852-3 at the mouth of the canyon where much of the pioneer lumber was sawed.

Coming down the canyon, we have “Whitmore’s Canyon,” opened and named by Aaron Whitmore. “Thornton’s bench,” a short canyon and bench opened by Horace Thornton. “Grange Canyon,” opened by Samuel and Joseph Grange. Bartholomew Bench and “Bartholomew Canyon” named for Joseph Bartholomew, who first made a road up a short distance and cut wood for fuel. In 1876, a Mr. Williams constructed a sawmill in the canyon.

“Pole Heaven” was named by Aaron Johnson at an earlier day, because of the hundreds of acres of poles that literally filled the canyon at its upper reaches. (This area has also been called “Pole Haven”)

There’s “Loynd’s Canyon” at the forks. Joseph Loynd opened the little canyon which has since born his name. Two little canyons existed south of the joining of Kelley’s Grove and Sanford’s farm. Jordan Davis opened the lower one called “Jerd’s Canyon” and John M. Stewart opened the other so named “Stewart’s Canyon.” The canyon south of the Kelley’s west line was named “Grindstone Canyon” because of the excellent quality of the stone for grindstones.

Proceeding up the canyon, the “right hand fork” to distinguish it from the “left,” we come to “Days Canyon,” opened by Abram Day. Going up the right hand fork, we come to the “Forks,” the left hand fork being called “Dry Canyon” because there was not a living stream.

“Clegg’s Canyon” was opened by Henry Clegg to obtain tan bark for tanning leather. There was a large grove of red pine trees that were cut for their bark, and the trees, when dry, were hauled home for lumber and fuel.

“Dry Canyon” was named because of the quantities of dry quaking aspen trees. Incidentally, “Maple Canyon” was so called because of a large grove of maples at its mouth, and the timber in the canyon was mostly maple, up to the forks. (Were there two “Dry Canyons”?)

Don Carlos Johnson wrote a history of Springville and recorded other historical records. The History of Springville is available at the Springville Historical Society for a small fee.

Mark your calendars and attend the Springville Historical Society Lecture on April 23, at 7 p.m., featuring Paul Reeve, professor at the University of Utah, as guest speaker. “Pioneers, Piutes and Silver Mining in Southern Utah” will be his topic. A slide presentation will be used. It will be held at the art museum. Enter at the east door. See you there.

Any questions, call Glenn Alleman, 801-489-3969; or Roger Nielson, 801-489-5251.