Fruita, Utah facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fruita
|
|
|---|---|
The historic Fruita schoolhouse
|
|
 Fruita
Location in Utah
Fruita
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Utah |
| County | Wayne |
| Founded | 1880 |
| Abandoned | 1955 |
| Elevation | 5,436 ft (1,657 m) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1441249 |
Fruita is a famous ghost town located inside Capitol Reef National Park in Wayne County, Utah, United States. It sits where the Fremont River meets Sulphur Creek. Even though it's a ghost town, it's still used today for homes where employees of the National Park Service live.
History of Fruita
Fruita was started in 1880 by a group of Mormons. Their leader was Nels Johnson. At first, the town was called Junction. It became known as Fruita around 1902 or 1904.
In 1900, Fruita was called The Eden of Wayne County. This was because it had so many large fruit orchards. People grew lots of different fruits there.
Fruita was abandoned in 1955. This happened when the National Park Service bought the town. They wanted to include it as part of Capitol Reef National Park.
Today, only a few buildings from the old town remain. These include the restored schoolhouse and the Gifford house and barn. The fruit orchards are still there, with about 2,500 trees. The National Park Service now owns these orchards. They are kept as a "historic landscape." A small team works to care for the trees. They prune, water, replant, and spray them to keep them healthy.
The one-room schoolhouse was built in 1896. It was used for teaching the few students in the town. They mainly learned reading, writing, and arithmetic. If the teachers knew more, they also taught subjects like history or geography. The schoolroom was also used for dances and religious services. The National Park Service renovated the schoolhouse in 1966.
Fruita is now the main center for Capitol Reef National Park. It is where the park's offices are located.
Climate in Fruita
Fruita has a semi-arid climate. This means it gets very little rain. It often has hot, dry summers and cool winters.
