The Logan Island Defense Committee papers, 1911-1917

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Logan Island Defense Committee (Utah)
Title
The Logan Island Defense Committee papers
Dates
1911-1917 (inclusive)
Quantity
1 box, (0.5 linear feet)
Collection Number
UUS_COLL MSS 141
Summary
These include bank statements, lists of contributors, and receipts for money spent. The remainder of the collection consists of the working documents of the committee, such as notes, correspondence, and engineering reports analyzing the dam site.
Repository
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives Division
Special Collections & Archives
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
Logan, UT
84322-3000
Telephone: 4357978248
Fax: 4357972880
scweb@usu.edu
Access Restrictions

No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.

Languages
English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The papers of the Logan Island Defense Committee represent an attempt by a grassroots organization in Logan, Utah, to stop the building of a hydro-electric dam (currently known as First Dam) on the Logan River, at the mouth of Logan Canyon. This dam was built by the Agricultural College of Utah (Utah State University) in conjunction with the State of Utah to provide electricity to the college and to other state institutions. The idea of a college power-plant may have originated during William Kerr’s term as college president, but the formal application did not take place until 1908, when John A. Widstoe became president of the college. The actual construction of the dam began in 1911.

When the university began building the dam, the residents of the “Island” (an local term denoting the geographic area south of the university but north of River Heights) became concerned for their safety. The Logan Island Defense Committee grew out of this concern. Public meetings from October through December of 1911 were well attended. The residents of the Island even voted to levy an extra property tax upon themselves in order to defer the costs of their opposition. Their main concerns were threefold: safety issues, that the bid to build the dam was too low to ensure quality construction, and finally, a concern that property values in the Island would diminish. Notwithstanding, the controversy seemed to quiet down by the winter of 1912. The Logan Journal gave the controversy extensive coverage during the fall of 1911, but by the winter of 1912 the issue appears to have disappeared from the pages of the Journal.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Since these papers were found among the papers of A. G. Lunstrom, co-owner of Lunstrom Furniture, and treasurer of the Logan Island Defense Committee, most of the materials in this one box collection concern the financial dealings of the committee. These include bank statements, lists of contributors, and receipts for money spent. The remainder of the collection consists of the working documents of the committee, such as notes, correspondence, and engineering reports analyzing the dam site.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material from the The Logan Island Defense Committee Papers must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.

Preferred Citation

Initial Citation: The Logan Island Defense Committee Papers USU_COLL MSS 141, Box [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.

Following Citations:USU_COLL MSS 141, USUSCA.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Arranged chornologically.

Processing Note

Processed in July of 20004

Acquisition Information

The papers of the Logan Island Defense Committee were donated by Lucille Ferguson in 1988, in conjunction with the Lundstrom Furniture Company Records (COLL MSS 138)

Related Materials

Fonnesbeck, Leon, The Logan City Light Plant, Caxton Printers, Caldwell, Idaho, 1944.

Widstoe, John Andreas, In a Sunlit Land: the Autobiography of John A. Widstoe, Milton R. Hunter & G. Homer Duram, Salt Lake City, 1952. (USU Special Collections & Archives: 289.392 W634)

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Meeting minutes, reports, and financial data of the Logan Island Defense Committee>, 1911—1917Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 1
Correspondence
undated
1 2
Reports form public meetings
undated
1 3
List of contributors to the committee
undated
1 4
Reports from consulting engineers
undated
1 5
Financial receipts
1911
1 6
Financial receipts
1912
1 7
Financial receipts
1913
1 8
Financial receipts
1916-1917
1 9
Checkbook registers
undated
1 10
Receipt books
undated
1 11
Receipt books
undated
1 12
Receipt books
undated
1 13
Receipt books
undated
1 14
Envelopes and stationary from the Logan Island Defense Committee
undated

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Citizens' associations--Utah--Logan.
  • Hydroelectric power plants--Utah--Logan.

Corporate Names

  • Agricultural College of Utah--History.
  • Logan Island Defense Committee (Utah)

Geographical Names

  • Island (Logan, Utah)
  • Logan (Utah)--History.
  • Logan River First Dam (Utah)