Harper, Utah facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harper, Utah
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Stagecoach stop in Harper
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 Harper, Utah
Location in Utah
Harper, Utah
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Utah |
| County | Carbon & Duchesne |
| Established | 1866 |
| Abandoned | 1930s |
Harper is a ghost town in Utah, United States. A ghost town is a place where people used to live, but now almost no one does. Harper is located in Ninemile Canyon, near Argyle Canyon.
This old stagecoach stop was started in 1886. It sits across parts of Carbon and Duchesne counties. The closest town where people live today is Wellington. Many of the old buildings are on private land. You need permission to visit them.
Contents
The Story of Harper
Early Settlers and the Army Road
In 1885, a man named Alfred Lund came from Nephi. He was the first homesteader in Argyle Canyon. A homesteader is someone who settles on and farms land given by the government.
Alfred Lund built a log cabin, and its remains can still be seen today. Another early settler was Tom Taylor. The U.S. Army later built a road right through this area in 1886. This road went to Fort Duchesne and the Uintah Basin.
A Busy Stagecoach Stop
In the 1890s, the government used this road a lot. They were freighting supplies to Fort Duchesne. Freighting means moving goods, often by wagon. This road was important because it was the lowest path between Price and the Uintah Basin.
From 1888 to 1895, about 600 soldiers lived at Fort Duchesne. They needed lots of supplies like hay, grain, and food. Everything had to be brought in using this road.
Ed Lee bought Tom Taylor's land. It became known as "Lee Station." This was a busy stop for stagecoaches. Stagecoaches were like buses pulled by horses. They carried people, mail, and goods. Lee Station had a big barn where horses could rest and get ready for the next part of their journey.
Telegraph and Telephone Lines
Around 1886, the Army put up strong steel telegraph poles in the canyon. These poles were actually left over from the American Civil War. A telegraph line sends messages using electrical signals.
In 1907, this telegraph line became a telephone line. It helped people in the Uintah Basin talk to others. The line was used until 1917. Some of these old poles were even used for local phone lines until the 1990s!
Naming the Town
Government maps from the 1890s called the settlement "Nine Mile." But some local stories say it was called "Minnie-Maud." This name came from two girls who lived there. A creek that flows into Nine Mile Canyon is still called Minnie Maud.
When a post office was finally set up, the town was officially named Harper. In 1900, the town had 72 people who voted, which was the most ever recorded there.
School Days in Harper
People in Nine Mile Canyon worked hard to have a school for their children. Before 1895, they built the first schoolhouse out of logs. It was located at the mouth of Argyle Canyon.
For a while, there were two schools: one in Carbon County and one in Duchesne County. From 1916 to 1924, they had just one school. This school closed for good in 1931. The building was moved to Wellington in the 1930s, but it later burned down.
What Remains Today
Today, only a few buildings are left in Harper. You can still see the old stagecoach stop and some log homes. The Harper Hotel, which had two stories, burned down in the late 1980s or early 1990s. Only its stone foundation remains now.
Remember, most of the old town site is on private land. Always ask for permission before exploring the area.
