Bicknell History
Bicknell is located in a sparsely populated, remote area of Utah. When settle, this area was difficult to access. Early residents had to build their own roads. People could travel on foot, horseback, or in horse-drawn wagons. The height of the wagon era lasted from 1850 to 1920, the period when Bicknell was settled. Most Bicknell settlers came by wagon or handcart from Nauvoo, Illinois between 1847 and 1868. In wagons, it took early Bicknell residents two to three days each way to go to the County Seat in Junction, Utah or to Sevier County, where residents had relatives or to conduct business.
Most of the early settlers of this area were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Bicknell was first named Thurber after Albert King (A.K.) Thurber who, at age 23, stopped in Utah on his way from Rhode Island to find California gold and joined the Church. After being a church and community leader in Spanish Fork. Thurber was sent to Richfield by Brigham Young to use his influence and language ability to make peace with the Indians. He soon became the Sevier Stake President. He signed a peace treaty with three groups of Paiute Indians at Fish Lake in 1876. In 1879, while leading a group of stockmen to this valley for cattle grazing, he built the first cabin along the Fremont River which became the town of Thurber. A.K died at the age of 62 from stomach cancer.
Bicknell settlers homesteaded by streams to access water for crops and consumption. Bicknell settlers dipped water from ditches and the Fremont River and put it in large barrels to settle before drinking. During freezing conditions, they chopped ice blocks and hauled them home to melt for cooking, drinking and washing. This unsanitary water caused sicknesses and diseases among the early residents. After the town was moved, pipes were buried to bring water from Cottonwood Canyon, north of Bicknell, and later from Thousand Lake Mountain springs to Bicknell. In 1992, Bicknell constructed a pump house on a spring south of town which now supplements our mountain springs. Getting sufficient culinary water is still a major priority for Bicknell. The Fremont River has always provided most of the valley's irrigation water.
Many early settlers of Bicknell had small herds of cattle or sheep. Initially, because there were ample grazing in the valley, fencing was nonexistent and community herds and grounds were common. As numbers grew, it became necessary to construct fences and graze livestock on surrounding mountains and deserts. Later, farming became a means of providing additional feed for livestock, but short growing seasons have always made farming difficult. Today, the ranching industry is made up of family operations.
Women have filled prominent roles in Bicknell, especially in family, education, medicine, and community. Early women of the area delivered most of the newborn children and served the sick, either as nurses or mid-wives. They nursed cases of diphtheria and typhoid, as well as other contagious diseases. Women have always worked on family farms during WWI and WWII. They also served as Minute Women during WWII, salvaging items being rationed to support the war. Bicknell women have taken a special interest in beautification, forming the civic club in 1965 for the purpose of beautifying Bicknell.. They have cultivated beauty and refinement in their handy work, yards, homes gardens and home arts.
Education was always a priority for early Church Settlers. Women opened their homes as early classrooms. The first school in present Bicknell is currently the DUP building on Main Street. Wayne Middle School, Wayne High School and the District offices haves always been located in Bicknell, as was an elementary school until it was combined with Loa's in 1972. The majority of educators have been women. On of the most notable and only school Superintendent to ever serve twice was Anne Snow, who also wrote the book, Rainbow Views, A History of Wayne County.
Most of the early settlers of this area were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Bicknell was first named Thurber after Albert King (A.K.) Thurber who, at age 23, stopped in Utah on his way from Rhode Island to find California gold and joined the Church. After being a church and community leader in Spanish Fork. Thurber was sent to Richfield by Brigham Young to use his influence and language ability to make peace with the Indians. He soon became the Sevier Stake President. He signed a peace treaty with three groups of Paiute Indians at Fish Lake in 1876. In 1879, while leading a group of stockmen to this valley for cattle grazing, he built the first cabin along the Fremont River which became the town of Thurber. A.K died at the age of 62 from stomach cancer.
Bicknell settlers homesteaded by streams to access water for crops and consumption. Bicknell settlers dipped water from ditches and the Fremont River and put it in large barrels to settle before drinking. During freezing conditions, they chopped ice blocks and hauled them home to melt for cooking, drinking and washing. This unsanitary water caused sicknesses and diseases among the early residents. After the town was moved, pipes were buried to bring water from Cottonwood Canyon, north of Bicknell, and later from Thousand Lake Mountain springs to Bicknell. In 1992, Bicknell constructed a pump house on a spring south of town which now supplements our mountain springs. Getting sufficient culinary water is still a major priority for Bicknell. The Fremont River has always provided most of the valley's irrigation water.
Many early settlers of Bicknell had small herds of cattle or sheep. Initially, because there were ample grazing in the valley, fencing was nonexistent and community herds and grounds were common. As numbers grew, it became necessary to construct fences and graze livestock on surrounding mountains and deserts. Later, farming became a means of providing additional feed for livestock, but short growing seasons have always made farming difficult. Today, the ranching industry is made up of family operations.
Women have filled prominent roles in Bicknell, especially in family, education, medicine, and community. Early women of the area delivered most of the newborn children and served the sick, either as nurses or mid-wives. They nursed cases of diphtheria and typhoid, as well as other contagious diseases. Women have always worked on family farms during WWI and WWII. They also served as Minute Women during WWII, salvaging items being rationed to support the war. Bicknell women have taken a special interest in beautification, forming the civic club in 1965 for the purpose of beautifying Bicknell.. They have cultivated beauty and refinement in their handy work, yards, homes gardens and home arts.
Education was always a priority for early Church Settlers. Women opened their homes as early classrooms. The first school in present Bicknell is currently the DUP building on Main Street. Wayne Middle School, Wayne High School and the District offices haves always been located in Bicknell, as was an elementary school until it was combined with Loa's in 1972. The majority of educators have been women. On of the most notable and only school Superintendent to ever serve twice was Anne Snow, who also wrote the book, Rainbow Views, A History of Wayne County.