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Widtsoe is a ghost town in Garfield County, Utah, United States. Located in John's Valley northeast of Bryce Canyon and along the Sevier River at the mouth of Sweetwater Creek, the town existed about 1908–1936. ==History== The first settlers, including Isaac Riddle and a wife of John D. Lee, came to John's Valley as early as 1876. The Riddle ranch became an important regrouping point for the San Juan Expedition in 1879,〔 but through the end of the 19th century the area was mainly used by local cattlemen to seasonally run their stock. There were few permanent residents.〔 In the early 1900s Jedediah Adair bought land here and started growing oats, wheat, and barley. His success attracted other settlers, and by 1908 the community became known as ''Adairville''.〔 As the settlement continued to expand, it was renamed ''Houston'' for John Houston, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints's local stake in Panguitch. In 1910, Adair's wife Julia donated of land for the development of an official townsite. The town was divided into blocks square with 4 lots per block and streets wide.〔 The new town was granted a post office in 1912, and its name changed again to ''Winder'', in honor of recently deceased Latter-day Saint leader John R. Winder. Winder began to thrive and prosper. Sawmills were built in the canyon east of town to provide lumber for fast-paced construction.〔 Besides the houses there was a combination church and school, two hotels, four stores, and a confectionery plant.〔 In 1917 the post office decided there were too many places in Utah named Winder, and suggested yet another name change. The name ''Widtsoe'' was chosen to recognize John A. Widtsoe, then president of the University of Utah and an agricultural scientist whose expertise in dry farming had been very helpful to area farmers.〔 Widtsoe continued to grow, becoming one of the principal communities in Garfield County. In 1919 the United States Forest Service relocated its district office from Panguitch to Widtsoe, and there was even serious discussion of moving the county seat here.〔Newell, pp.276–278.〕 In 1920 the population reached 1,100.〔 Residents prepared for further expansion, enlarging nearby Pine Lake and building an embankment dam to supply more irrigation water. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Widtsoe, Utah」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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