WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY (Washington County, Utah)
ATKINVILLE, UTAH
LOCATION
Located in the area of the current Sun River community.HISTORY
In the mid-1870s, William and his family established a one-family village and ranch along the Virgin river south of Bloomington. Most of the lumber for the structures in Atkinville, Bloomington, and Price came from Mount Trumbell in Arizona and was highly prized for both its strength and fine-grained appearance.During the winters, they cut ice and stored it in a cave for sale all year round.
They built a recreation area around a lake surrounded by cottonwood trees with areas for picnicking, swimming, boating, and fishing. It was a popular place among all the citizens of southwest Utah.
This area was remote enough that Pres. Wilford Woodruff used come come down to avoid U.S. Marshalls who were looking for polygamists. He could hide in the reeds around the lake and in a small room in the Atkin's home.
In 1906, a major flood nearly destroyed Atkinville. After the flood, buildings were dismantled and the lumber salvaged.
PHOTOS
TBDHISTORIC SUBJECTS
Atkin HomeAtkinville Pond
REFERENCES
"The Story of Atkinville: A One-family Village"Book by Grace Atkin Woodbury and Angus Munn Woodbury
Salt Lake City: G.A. Woodbury, 1957
"From the Green Hills of England to the Red Hills of Dixie:
The Story of William and Rachel Thompson Atkin"
Book by Reid L. Neilson
with a Forward by Susan Easton Black
Atkin Family Historical Organization
Provo: Red Rock Publishing, 2000
OnlineUtah.com article about Atkinville
"Virgin Water: Below the Confluence"
by Richard Kohler
Page 13.
To view, click here