Deweyville

Adapted from: “Deweyville History.” http://www.boxeldercounty.org/deweyville-history.htm. Accessed April 23, 2020; “Welcome to Deweyville.” http://www.townofdeweyville.org/index.htm. Accessed April 23, 2020.

Fryer Hotel in Deweyville, Utah, Utah State Historical Society

Deweyville was initially settled by John C. Dewey and his family in 1864. He settled at Empey’s Springs, on land that was formerly owned by William Empey, but the name of the springs was soon changed to Empey’s springs. The settlement was initially very small, with only three families joining the Deweys between 1864 and 1868, though other families continued to come after 1868. Dewey, in addition to being the presiding church elder, oversaw community projects and activities, including the construction of a school house in 1869 that doubled as a recreation center.

The railroad came through Dewy in the 1870s, and the town became the central shipping point of the Bear River Valley. This, along with the completion of the Bothwell and Hammond canals, led to a period of boom for the town, which led to the establishment of saloons, boarding houses, and other businesses. 

The town was incorporated in 1939. With the decline of the railroad, Deweyville is a predominantly farming community with a population of about 500. In addition to agriculture, there is also a cabinetry industry, with many residents working and shopping in nearby Brigham City and Logan.