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Judd's Livery Barn, approx. 1900
Coal was discovered three miles north of town in Almy. Almy, at
one time, was in fact larger than Evanston and had a population at its peak of
approximately 5,000, many of whom were Chinese. The Chinese had originally been
brought in to work on the Railroad and remained to work in the mines.
Coal Mines at Almy, Photo by William Henry Jackson, 1871.
Chinese railroad workers, Rawlins, Wyoming, undated.
Indeed, Evanston had one of the
very first Joss houses in the west, constructed in 1874. A Joss house or Miu is not, strictly speaking,
a temple but more of a house of prayer, distinct from a temple or monestary. Each year the
Chinese would celebrate Tet with a parade featuring a Gum Lung, a Chinese
silk dragon, with one individual being designated as the keeper of the
temple for the ensuing year. Miriam F. Leslie, wife of the publisher of
Leslie's Illustrated News, in her description of her 1877 journey across
Wyoming, described the Chinese in Evanston:
Evanston was where we first saw the Chinese cheap-laborer. These laborers
who helped build the Central Pacific Railroad, still live in small groups
throughout the Far West. While their hovels are small and dirty, I found
the Chinese to be a very clean, pleasant people. Clean! Cleanliness ... is
a matter of obsession with these quiet, little people! They bathe every
day--a full bath! Can you imagine? One would be liable to catch pneumonia!
Many of the Chinese who had to flee Rock Springs in
1885 took refuge in Evanston. See discussion under of the Rock Springs Massacre
Coal Camps. On January 16, 1922, the Union Pacific
evicted the Chinese from their Company owned houses. Forty-five minutes later
the Joss House burned down. The Joss house was located across the railroad tracks
from the depot.
Joss House, Evanston.
The first structure in Evanston, built by Harvey Booth (1840-1895), was a
saloon and restaurant located in a tent on what is now Front Street. Within a month the town
had a population of approximately 650.
The Railroad
reached Evanston in December of 1868. Shortly thereafter Evanston was designated as the county
seat.
Uinta County Courthouse, undated.
The Court House was built by Harvey Booth for $15,425. In contrast, in 1907, the Federal
Court House and Post Office was built with the assistance of an apropriation obtained by
U.S. Senator, C.D. Clark from Evanston, in the amount of $184,000.
Federal Courthouse, Evanston, 1910
Booth was appointed as Sheriff in 1870 and served until the general election of 1872. In the
mid-1870's, Booth became a partner with with Edwin S. Crocker, Wm. Crawford, and Wm. Thompson in a
meat market. In January 1893, Crawford disappeared in a blizzard on his way to a dance. He was never seen again.
It has been intimated that Crawford was murdered.
Evanston, between 6th and 7th Streets, 1906
On the left in the above photo is the Marx Hotel. See next photo.
Marx Hotel and Restuarant, undated.
The Hotel Marx was operated by Thomas Bird, son of Jospeh Bird, Sr., owner of
the Hotel Evanston depicted on a subsequent page.
Evanston, undated.
Next page: Evanston continued.
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