Spring City

Saturday May 23 we went to Spring City in Sanpete County for their annual Heritage Days. If you are a Utah Mormon, I imagine you too, have Sanpete County ties. I'm half Sanpetian, Justin is 1/4. His mom's mom was born and raised in Spring City and her pioneer ancestors settled in the town. I've never been to Spring City and Justin doesn't really remember it well. So we met his parents and brothers there on Saturday so Nadine could give us a tour of her mom's hometown, including her grandparent's home and candy store.

We got there before the rest of our group so we stopped first at this blue tractor parked in front of a house. The man was shining her up nice so naturally we asked if the kids could sit on it.  That's just what you do in a small town on their town holiday.

Next we walked up and down their cute little main street then walked over to the old school that is being renovated for their city hall. That's where everyone else caught up with us.

After buying some delicious cinnamon rolls inside at their bake sale/antique sale/art auction we started our home tour.

There are several really old pioneer homes in Spring City and once a year their kind owners open them up for the public to see.

Check out this old stove. This was still used up until like 1981 when old Mrs. Something Something died. No one's lived in the house since so it's just as she left it. I wonder if she preferred the microwave.

Nadine found a cousin in that house as well.

It was so fun having Nadine as our unofficial tour guide. 

This is where Spring City gets it's name. This is a natural spring that spouts in the middle of town.


The water tastes good, even if it's a little awkward for grown ups.

A few weeks ago Justin and I found out there's a really good German restaurant in town that we wanted to go to while we were there. Turns out, the restaurant is the old candy store. The candy store is now the cafe! Can you believe it! It's like we were destined to eat there. The smell from the cooking on the street was amazing. We ate brats in various forms and animal shaped pancakes.

Here's another coincidence we discovered: The old man with the blue tractor is married to Nadine's cousin. He lives at the house next to the candy store/restaurant. They live in Grandma Baxter's house. We had stopped and talked to him and had no idea we were at Grandma's house talking to a cousin-in-law. Only in Sanpete, I tell you! They were kind to let us in and look around.

Much of the house is unchanged from when Grandma Baxter lived there. I love the wallpaper and high ceilings.

Nadine kept saying how small everything looked and couldn't believe how they all used to fit inside the living room or around the kitchen table. And the piano and hutch are beautiful. 

This is cousin Jennifer who had no idea her home would be on the home tour :)

I imagine most of the grandkids spent much of the time on this incredible climbing tree.

Then we walked to the church. Isn't it pretty? The chapel was super cool with a mezzanine and carved wood beams on the ceiling. You'll just have to go see it yourself because I couldn't take pictures inside the chapel.

Check out this staircase. The wall used to be the exterior wall of the chapel but they since added on. The beams in the chapel were kind of like these only fancier. 

We walked past the spring again. Erica wanted a drink.

Then we went to the cemetery. I don't know why I like cemeteries so much. I always have. I like walking around and reading headstones and wondering what peoples lives were like.

I love these pioneer headstones.

This is the burial spot of Orson Hyde, Apostle during Joseph Smith's time and Spring City's claim to fame.

Thus concludes our tour of Spring City.