Corinne
Corinne
is a quiet farming community located four miles west and one mile north
of Brigham City, near Interstate I-84 which runs from Salt Lake City to
Boise, Idaho. It has population of approximately 1,000
residents. Known by many names including Burg on the Bear, the
City of the Ungodly, Gentile City and others. Its history is
unique from other pioneer communities because it was settled by people
of different religions and even those who professed no religious
affiliation rather than by members of the L.D.S. (Mormon) faith.
The founders could see Corinne as the State Capitol as it was the
shipping center of the railroad. The town was laid out in
February 1869 by Union Pacific, and within two weeks, there were 500
frame and tent buildings with businessmen such as Wells Fargo,
Auerbacks, Kirkendallis, Keisels, Topance, and many more. There
were blacksmith shops, livery stables, boarding houses, hotels, an
opera house, newspapers, banks, warehouses, cigar factory, saw mill,
gambling halls, and yes, soiled doves. There was a steamship
built and launched in Corinne. Corinne also had its own smelter,
a slaughter house, flour mill, brick yard, and its own water
system. It had a large scale irrigation system and the first
weather station. A full scale orchard was planned, but the water
brought the mineral salts to the surface, killing all the trees.
Consequently, Corinne Drainage System was formed.
There were seven churches established in Corinne: Episcopal, Methodist,
Presbyterian, Catholic, Baptist, Jewish, Buddhist, and The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (L.D.S.). There was a Masonic
Lodge and also the Corinne Odd fellows was established. It is now
predominately L.D.S..
With the building of the Utah-Northern Railroad, Corinne's hopes and
dreams were shattered, and she dwindled fast as a freighting center,
but she was still a busy station until the building of the Lucin
Cut-Off across the Great Salt Lake in 1904-1905. Corinne is now a
small quiet community with several service stations, and a farm
cooperative that services Box Elder County. There are two grain
mills in close proximity. Marketing facilities are within
reasonable distance of any farm in the vicinity, and rail facilities
and good highways provide excellent market availability to this area.
Corinne has an elementary school. A good county-consolidated
school system provides high schools and middle schools at the nearby
cities of Brigham City and Tremonton. Students are transported
free to schools from the rural area.
Corinne's unique history provides much electrifying material for story
tellers, whether the tales are true, partially true, or false.