Park somewhere safe, there is a sidewalk for people to walk under
the freeway overpass, the cache is magnetically attached to the
fence that separates the sidewalk and the road that goes under the
freeway.
Santaquin is located in Utah County, about seventy miles south
of Salt Lake City in a picturesque and beautiful site with a view
of Utah Lake and Mount Timpanogos to the north. Originally called
Summit City because of its location at the summit dividing line
between Utah and Juab valleys, it was settled in late 1851 by
pioneers who were helping settle Payson, located about six miles to
the north. Abundant water, plenty of fertile land for farming, and
abundant groves of trees for firewood, fence posts, and cabin logs
made this an ideal place for a community.
A friendship developed between local Indian chief Guffich and
Benjamin F. Johnson, leader of the original pioneers, which enabled
the whites to settle peacefully in the area. By 1853 the settlement
had grown sufficiently to become known as Summit Creek Precinct No.
7. Soon after, however, the Walker War broke out, and the settlers
were forced to move for safety to Payson, where they remained until
1855.
Around this time a fort was built according to plans furnished
by architect Truman O. Angell. After its completion, the settlers
moved back to the town in the spring of 1856. One night soon after
resettlement Chief Guffich came secretly to warn Johnson of an
impending raid by young braves, including his son Santaquin. The
settlers quickly left, and when the raiders found the fort deserted
Chief Guffich explained to them that the white men were good people
and that the Great Spirit had warned them of the attack. It was
claimed that from that day peace was made between the local Indians
and the Mormon pioneers. It was decided to name the town after
Guffich, but he declined the honor and asked that the settlement be
named "Santaquin" for his son.
A rock schoolhouse was built in the fort in 1856. It was stoutly
built and served the public for many years, still being used into
the 1980s. It was not until 1896 that the first local church
building was constructed, religious meetings having been conducted
in the school building, which now serves as a senior citizens'
center and a veterans' memorial hall.
In addition to farming, early industries included sawmills, a
flour mill, a molasses mill, and a furniture shop. A silk industry
was started with the planting of mulberry trees, some of which
still remain in the city. Horse and buggy were the only means of
transportation available until 1875, at which time the Utah
Southern Railroad completed a line to Santaquin. About that time,
rich ore was discovered in the Tintic area. Several mines were
discovered on Santaquin ridge, or Dry Mountain, with some copper,
lead, silver, and zinc being mined; the Union Chief mine was the
most prosperous.
Following serious flooding in 1949, the Summit Creek Canal and
Irrigation Company was given approval to construct a reservoir west
of the city; on several occasions it has prevented disastrous
damage to the community. A diversion dam was completed and more
than 10,000 feet of concrete pipe laid in 1971, which proved to be
an efficient method of conserving valuable water resources.
Irrigation methods changed to sprinkling systems or drip systems,
enabling farmers to efficiently irrigate land that was not level,
bringing more farmland into production. Natural gas service was
brought to Santaquin in 1954, and marked a major development in the
modernization of the community.
With the construction of the steel plant at Geneva and the rapid
growth in the Provo-Orem area to the north, many fruit farmers
relocated to the Santaquin area. Large orchards were planted,
replacing wheat fields and pasture land. The construction of huge
cold storage facilities for the fruit created many jobs in the
community. Another boast to the economy and population came in 1968
with the completion of Interstate 15 through the town.
The predominant religion in Santaquin is LDS, with four wards
meeting in two chapels. There is also an Assembly of God chapel. A
majority of the people are of Scandinavian descent. The population
of Santaquin has grown from 12 in 1851 to 1,214 in 1950, to 1,236
in 1970, and to 2,386 in 1990.