Smoot Town & Cemetery History
By Verna Bruce and Rosella Crook
This settlement dates back to 1886 when the first colonists established homes. First known as Cottonwood, the town name was later changed to Belview and finally to Smoot in honor of Senator Reed Smoot of Utah.
The first school began about 1890 with Thomas Walton as its teacher. It was held in a little log room. The desks were made from wood slabs and pegs were used in each end to hold it up.
The Cottonwood reservoir was built for irrigation purposes. The resultant Cottonwood Lake was made into a summer resort which featured an open-air dance hall.
Electricity was first brought into the community in 1938 by Lower Valley Power and Light.
An oil well was started at the South end of Smoot in 1948. Drilling carried on for 1 ½ years before being abandoned.
Town of Smoot Cemetery History:
Location: From Walton's General Store in Smoot, travel East on County Road 152 approximately 0.4 miles. The cemetery is located on the left (North side) of the road. (GPS: 42.62052N 110.90502W)
How Obtained: Wilbur Cranney signed a deed to about four acres of ground - the present cemetery.
History: by Bishop Hugh W. Findlay
The Smoot Cemetery was started in January 1891 when Brother and Sister Thomas Walton lost a daughter "Marinda May" with
diphtheria. In the same year, nine other children died with the same disease. Here are the dates and names furnished by Archie Hale:
Marinda May Walton - 19 January 1891
Seth Crook - 23 January 1891
Emily Walton - 2 February 1891
Phoebe August Wilbur - 8 September 1891
Amos Elish Wilbur - 9 September 1891
William Oliver Wilbur - 9 November 1891
Stephen Francis Wilbur - 15 November 1891
Royal Ottis Wilbur - 21 November 1891
Five children were lost within three months in one family.
The church ward had no title to the ground until 1931 when Wilbur Cranney signed the deed to about four acres of ground - the present cemetery ground. It was fenced good in 1934 by WPA workers. Since then very little work had been done maintaining it.
In 1965 we voted for a Smoot Cemetery District. All headstones and markers were moved and the ground plowed. Now the headstones and markers are back in place. One would not know it was the same ground. We also have it seeded and hope to have a sprinkler system installed to take care of our lawn.
This historical content furnished by the Star Valley Historical Society. Click the link to go to their web site.