This photo was dropped to me by a friend and former employee of Circle A Construction. It conjured many thoughts and emotions as I grew up around these very trucks. I wrote previously a mention of the Aslett’s who were so tied with Circle A.
My first job in 1994 was washing and waxing trucks from the beet haul/harvest. Dustin McClellan was my co-worker and friend. We did all the washing at the old Hynes beet dump. Most of those trucks were new and just white. Circle A was getting away from the costly paint jobs you see above. In the photo below, you see the plain white tractors that took over from those in years past.
Circle A Construction trucks in front of the Idaho Capitol in 2000
When all the tractors and trailers were finished from the beet haul, then we got to work on the fancier paint job trucks. These were harder work. That dark golden brown didn’t hold up as well in the sun and often oxidized making the waxing hard. Sometimes multiple waxes were required. Turtle Wax was making money off of us now!
Here is another picture of one of those trucks. This is one of the double belly dump main trailers that started to disappear about the same time. The double belly dump trailers developed structural issues the longer they were used. Within a short time all were cut down or recycled to the single belly dumps you see above. Road weight laws were also changing and transitioning, which I seem to recall was another issue.
Circle A Construction Truck in Paul Parade about 1985
Now I was a little boy in the truck of that stark white Star trailer. This truck is older than the ones in the picture at the beginning of the post. This photo brings out the colors better than the one at the top. You can see the metallic flakes in the golden brown, the bright red, the dark burgundy, and the white. There was quite a bit of cost that went into painting each of these trucks the custom paint job.
There was the writing and the pin striping too. There were the lines between each of these blocks/shades too.
Many memories. I was almost killed one day while very young by one of these trailers. Some of my youngest memories included semis painted just like the ones above. I do not live and play in the trucking industry anymore, but it does not mean I do not have many memories growing up around it.
This is one of those times where there are not words.
On May 10, my father-in-law, Bryan Hemsley, sent me a photo of this card. He simply stated, “Paul, found this Christmas card going through my mom’s papers. I was wondering if this was your dad or grandpa?”
I looked at it and recognized the names as my father, his first wife, and my half-siblings.
Why in the world would my Dad and family have sent a Christmas card to Dee and Shanna Hemsley?
Dad, Vicki, Scott, Jeff, and Becky lived in Plain City for the 1960s, Becky was born in 1969. The family then moved to Brigham City for a few years but moved to Randolph about 1973. Amanda’s grandparents and father lived in Willard during this time.
I asked Dad about it. He has no memory of the Hemsleys. I asked Scott and Jeff and the similar aged children in the Hemsley family, Shayne and Dwight. They also had no memories of the Hemsleys.
I asked Shanna about it, she knew of Dad as a classmate of Ernest, her brother, but had no memory of Milo from before 1956 when she married and moved away until they met again at our wedding reception in 2005.
One of those little mysteries we will not likely ever know in this life. But further proof that we just never know who we are interacting with on a day to day basis.
With Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year – The Ross Family – Milo, Vicki, Scott, Jeff, & Becky
Before I talk about the Layton and Taylorsville Temples, I thought I better throw in another temple visit we made since I last updated. While on Spring Break this year, we made a stop in Vernal, Utah. While there, we scheduled and attended the Vernal Utah Temple with the kids. Glad we stopped to make another memory at another House of the Lord.
Hiram and Aliza at Vernal Utah Temple on 27 March 2024
Since the kids have a goal to attend the temple every month this year, we did also make it in April to the Twin Falls Temple. In May, while going to Utah for the open houses, we made sure to stop off and fulfill the monthly goal. May took us to Ogden Utah Temple.
Hiram and Aliza Ross at Ogden Utah Temple 17 May 2024
Later that evening, we attended the open house of the Layton Utah Temple with Amanda’s parents. Beautiful.
Paul, Lillian, Amanda, Aliza, James, and Hiram Ross with Bryan and Jill Hemsley 17 May 2024
We look forward to attending the temple after it is dedicated.
The next day we attended the open house for the Taylorsville Utah Temple, again with Amanda’s parents. We were also excited to run into the Brad and Rachel Hales family as well as Sarah Sanderson!
Bryan and Jill Hemsley with James, Aliza, Lillian, Hiram, Amanda, and Paul Ross 18 May 2024
It has been a crazy year for temple attendance and temple open houses. We have attended quite a few and quite a few are coming up for open houses. Wow, should be fun. It is exciting that the Kingdom and Church of God on the earth is in such a position to build so many beautiful houses to the Lord. We are blessed to attend the open houses and hopefully return some day to participate in holy ordinances there.
When I was interviewed for my first temple recommend in 1998, President Gene Hansen indicated he had a goal since he was first endowed to attend the temple every single month. He challenged me to do the same. As long as I have held a recommend, or I had permission to attend, I have attended the temple every single month since 1998. That meant a full day off of work in Missouri as it was a 4 hour drive one way from Branson, Missouri, to St. Louis, Missouri. Or from Richmond, Virginia, to Washington, D.C., that was a 4-5 hour drive and we often would go up and spend the night and return home on Saturday or Sunday depending on the circumstances.
Many open houses are upcoming, including Deseret Peak Utah; Casper Wyoming; Grand Junction Colorado; Elko Nevada; Syracuse Utah; Burley Idaho; Lindon Utah; Ephraim Utah; Smithfield Utah; Montpelier Idaho; Heber Valley Utah; Teton River Idaho; Salt Lake City Utah; Provo Rock Canyon Utah; Cody Wyoming; Lethbridge Alberta; Lehi Utah; and West Jordan Utah. Hopefully we can make some of the more exotic ones, particularly Birmingham England; Edinburgh Scotland; Honolulu Hawaii; and Vancouver British Columbia. We will see what our future holds.
I have two copies of the History of Plain City, Utah. The front indicates it is from March 17th 1859 to present. As far as I can tell, the book was written in 1977. At least that is the latest date I can find in the book.
One copy belonged to my Grandparents Milo and Gladys Ross. My Grandpa has written various notes inside the history which I intend to include in parenthesis whenever they appear. They add to the history and come from his own experience and hearing.
I will only do a number of pages at a time. I will also try to include scanned copies of the photos in the books. These are just scanned copies of these books, I have not tried to seek out originals or better copies.
History of Plain City March 17th 1859 to present, pages 107 through 122.
SCHOOLS
Early Plain City School
Poplar School
Submitted by Roxey R. Heslop
Poplar was a branch of the Plain City Ward and it received its name from the long rows of Poplar trees on both sides of the street.
The school district was organized in 1891. First school was held in the home of Peter McCue located about 3475 West 1975 North. James L. Robson was the first teacher followed by Mrs. W. Winslow and Myra Gray.
A room school house was built about 1894 at 3320 West 1975 North. This picture is not the Poplar school which had no windows in the front but on the west side and three was a wood shed at the back but it is very similar in many ways.
The teachers were Bessie Zinn, Blanch Bagley, Freed W. Dalton, Naomi Tracy, Emma Anderson, Sarah Stevenson, Etta Brow, Lottie Henigar, Minnie Rudiger, Melvina Wayment, Esther Steward, Welthy Lake, and Pearl Tracy.
The Poplar School House was the center of church and social activities. Sunday School was organized 3 Sept. 1894. Primary and Religion were held there.
Dances were wonderful. Everyone danced and the young folks were taught to waltz, two-step, quadrills, polkas, schottisches and others that were popular at that times. Richard Lund with his violin accompanied by his daughters, Annie or Alminda on the organ. Often lunch was served. Children’s dances were held.
The Poplar Lane people were like a united family. Everyone went to church and attended all social events. All the children played together.
Nearly all of the folks have gone but those who are left enjoy wonderful memories of the days of activity, associations and inspirations that was bought from the one-room school.
First consolidated public school. Built to replace the North, South, and Poplar Schools. It was built of adobe and located on the northeast corner of the square. It was used as a community and recreational center for many years after the second consolidated school was built.
Second public school after front door was sealed; new entrance was built on the east side when the gymnasium was added. Lunch room facilities were added to the west later.
Second public school after remodeling when front windows were bricked over but before later additions were made.
Interior of the second school, showing old wood and metal desks that were attached to long wooden planks.
CLASS PICTURE TAKEN IN THE POPLAR SCHOOL
Poplar school was a one room building. This picture was taken during the school term of 1901-1902 with Etta Brown as teacher. Later she married LeRoy E. Cowles who became the president of the University of Utah.
Top row: Emma Cottle, Elmer Robson, Ada Skeen, Williams Allred, Walter Cottle, Anzley Miller Luckart, Parley Taylor, Luella Cottle Stanger, Edmund Furnis, Alma Furnis, Laurence Cottle, Leslie Taylor, John Taylor.
Bertha Urry, Kate Urry East, Pearl Taylor Lund, Bertha Robson England, Alice Urry Wayment, Josephine Cottle Monroe, John Jackson, Elmer Taylor.
Roxey Robson Heslop, Manila Taylor Hancock, Emma Taylor Homer, Kate Kensley Nalder, Parley Stoker, Blanch Kenley, Drysdale, Unknown, Jessie Kenley Wayment, Evelyn Taylor Cottle, unknown, Martena Taylor Surrage, Merl Jackson, Zina Urry, Nellie Kenley Draney.
Some were too young to go to school and were brought for the picture.
Submitted by Roxey R. Heslop
This is the graduating class of 1907, Class of 1906-1907
Iris Poulsen, LaVerna Davis, Principal John C. Neal, Florence Singleton, Ruth Poulsen
Front Row:
Clifton Kerr, Marion Sneed, Arvilla Taylor, Ellis Giles, Margaret Hunt, Gilbert Taylor, Harold Carver
PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILT IN 1906
This is located on the site of the present Plain City Elementary School.
It included elementary through tenth grade in later years. The last year the tenth grade was held in the school was 1947. After that, it remained in use as an elementary school.
The front windows were bricked over and later the front doors were bricked when the gymnasium was added to the east.
Still later, a cafeteria was added to the west. The building was demolished in 1955, leaving the later additions and adding a new addition of classrooms to the east that same year.
The students pictured at the bottom of the picture are enlarged on the3 following pages.
Weber County School District was organized in 1906-07. Plain City was dedicated in September of 1906.
The teachers are: John Quincy Blaylock, Laura Lamon, Rosabell O’dell and Elda Cooley.
1909, 8TH Grade Graduation Class.
Back row L to R: John Taylor, Roxey Robson (Heslop), Easter Lund (Stevenson), Elvin Maw, Mildred England (Hart) (Robins).
Front row L to R: Lona Ipsen ( – ), Teacher John Q. Blaylock, Bertha Hodson (Bullock).
Enlargement of the students in the 1907-07 school picture on the preceeding pages, showing the center one-third of the students.
Early school buses were privately owned and used for summer vacations and school trips.
Enlargement of the students in the 1906-07 school picture on the preceeding page, showing the left one-third of the students.
L. Rulon Jenkins, teacher and Principal of the 1906 school during later years in the 30’s and 40’s.
Early classes held in the 1906 school during succeeding years. Dates and identities not known.
Early Plain City Class Picture Date and teacher unknown. We hope you can identify a parent or grandparent to make it more meaningful to you.
View of the 1906 school after the gymnasium had been added and more modern bus transportation used.
CLARA SKEEN THOMAS
SUBMITTED BY BEVERLY B EDDY
The Plain City School Hot Lunch Program was organized by Clara Skeen Thomas, wife of George Sidney Thomas. Clara Thomas was the first to start the Hot Lunch Program at the Plain City School 1923-1924.
She received $1.00 per day. She served vegetable and tomato soups, chip beef gravy on mashed potatoes and chili. These were purchased at the cost of three cents a bowl. With this money she received from the food, she would but the materials needed to prepare the next meal.
For years, she cooked and prepared the food at her home. She would have to take it up to the school each day. This would consist of three blocks each way. Later the school purchased a coal oil stove, which made it possible to prepare the food at the school. Each year the Hot Lunch program started in November and ended in March. Clara Skeen Thomas cooked and prepared the hot lunch at the Plain City School for eleven years and never missed a day.
SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM
L to R: Ivy Carver, Elizabeth Lund, Vacona Singleton, Tillie Moyes, Bell Woods.
SCHOOL BUS TRANSPORTATION
SUBMITTED BY ELMER ROSE
Oh what progress in education when in 1926, Weber High School opened its doors for County students. This high school is located on Washington Blvd. and presently occupied by the Adult Education Center.
Elmer Rose, of Warren, drove a bus to accommodate the northwest area of Weber County. Mr. Rose’s route covered several miles each day. He picked up all the high school students from Warren and both elementary and high school students from the south end of Plain City. He dropped the elementary students off at the Plain City elementary school. The student’s near the street car tracks were left to ride it to the high school.
Mr. Rose then continued his route through the North Plain City Road, back along highway 84 to within a reasonable distance from the car line. Then after passing the Harrisville along the route to Ogden limits.
On the route going to the high school, Mr. Rose picked up the Farr West Elementary students and delivered them to the Farr West School. He returned down the North Plain City Road picking up the elementary students for Plain City School.
The bus contracts to maintain and operate these units of transportation were awarded by bids. The lowest bidder getting the job if his outfit met the approval of the school board.
The inside of the bus had a bench on each side facing the center. The girls usually occupied these seats. In the center was a bench called a straddle seat. The boys were crowded together astraddle this bench.
The first bus was small and about 30 students were crowded into it. The students gave this bus the nickname of “Cracker Box”.
He often chartered his privately owned bus to take scouts, F.H.A. and other groups on excursions and other activities.
Mr. Rose removed the bus from its chassis during the summer so that he might use the truck for farm trucking.
This picture is of the second privately owned bus maintained and operated by Elmer Rose. This bus had a large capacity, accommodating about 50 students.
BUSSES LOADED IN FRONT OF WEBER HIGH SCHOOL IN 1926
The first buses to transport students to Weber High School in 1926 were operated and maintained by the individual owners. The contracts were let to the person whose bid was accepted by the Board of Education. Since these first buses were individually owned, the owners often used them for 4-H, temple, and various other excursions and activities.
Owners often used them for hunting trips. Family and friends slept in them overnight lodging away from home. The straddle bench was removed to make room for the bed.
Some owners removed the bus body from the chassis and placed another bed on the truck, so as to utilize it for farm trucking during the summer.
School transportation has evolved from the horse-drawn school wagon to the giant sized yellow school bus.
Today students ride to school fairly comfortable. The buses are warm, the seats padded, the radio plays popular music. These luxuries were undreamed of by the students who rode in the white top covered wagon, or the horse drawn sleigh in the midst of winter.
SUBMITTED BY RUTH FOWERS
SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM WORKERS
L to R: Hazel Kennedy, Mabel Moyes, Thelma H. Palmer, VaCona P. Singleton- Head Cook.
L to R: Principal Earl Cragun, Fern Hogge, Mabel Moyes, Norma Jensen, Hazel Kennedy.
Demolition in 1955 of the school building of 1906. This building had been in use continuously since that date. Many changes and additions had been added around it.
View of the new addition added in 1954-55 as seen through the rubble of the 1906 building and the construction equipment of the new building.
View of the Plain City Town Square from the roof of the school gymnasium.
Three view of the Plain City Elementary School as it stands today in 1977 with its many additions.
Amanda is always the deal shopper. Well, that keen eye paid off in 2021. She found tickets (red eye) to Fairbanks, Alaska, for $118 per ticket. That meant we could take the entire family to Alaska for about $750! Who could pass up a deal like that? We booked tickets and started to make arrangements. We arrived early morning on 19 July. We went straight to the hotel, in the bright light of the early morning hours, to get some sleep.
Ross family at 2:16 am in Fairbanks Alaska at the airport.
Later that day we made a stop or two, one of which was at Pioneer Park.
Hiram, Amanda, and Lillian Ross with the SS Nenana at Pioneer Park in Fairbanks
Paul, James, Hiram, Lillian, and Aliza Ross with the Harding railroad car in Fairbanks.
We spent some time at Pioneer Park and took too many pictures. But our goal was Mount Denali, which as a kid I knew as Mount McKinley.
We checked in at the Denali Park Hotel and went to discover some of the magic at Denalia National Park.
Lillie, ALiza, Amanda, James, and Hiram in Healy, Alaska
Paul and Lillian Ross in Healy, Alaska
Ross family at Denali National Park and Preserve entrance
We saw some pretty amazing scenes.
Spectacular sight in Denali National Park
James, Lillie, Aliza, and Hiram played in an Alaskan creek and noted it in 2021
Denali was hidden from us though. We did not get to see it while in the park.
Denali was there, but for some reason we could not see the highest mountain in North America.
Apparently Denali is often elusive. Many visits come to the park but never catch a glimpse of her. Even here, you would have thought we could see her shadow or silhouette. Nope.
Even the next day from the south, nothing. MIA.
Another view we could have seen Denali, but she remained hidden. Bashful thing.
We made our way to Talkeetna and Anchorage. I will have to write about those another day.
Amanda and Ross kids playing in Denali National Park stream
Like many others, we took the opportunity to attend the Manti Temple Open House. We scheduled it during the kids’ Spring Break from School. The last time we were in Manti was for Zach and Alyssa Smart’s wedding in 2018 (I posted it about it at the time). We took this picture as a family then.
Paul, Amanda, Aliza, Hiram, Lillian, and James Ross at Manti Temple in 2018
We decided to recreate the 2018 photo. Here is what we were able to do with the exhausted and cold kids.
Paul, Amanda, Aliza, Hiram, Lillian, and James Ross at Manti Temple in 2024
We all are 6 years older! I don’t think my hair line has receded anymore since then, although it still might be thinner. All are taller.
We waited for more than 2 hours to get into the temple for the tour. It was brisk and chilly, but the kids seemed to take it well. They even rolled down the temple hill a few times. We snapped this photo near the beginning of the line at the bottom of the hill. Grandma Jill Hemsley joined us for the occasion too!
Amanda, Paul, Hiram, James, Lillie, and Aliza Ross with Jill Hemsley at the Manti Utah Temple
It was a long line.
We finally made it inside. I think we moved through faster than I would have preferred. However, it was fun to be in parts of the temple I had never before seen. The Assembly Room was amazing. I enjoyed the novelty of the stairwells. The new screens in the Terrestrial Room, although necessary for the video presentation, are very disruptive of the room. I really appreciated and felt some of the paintings.
We also recreated another photo from 2018. Some of the landscaping was redone…
Aliza and Lillian Ross attempting to recreate a 2018 photo at the Manti Temple
Here is the photo they were recreating. Aliza and Hiram were waiting for a hummingbird to land on them. Unfortunately, with the new water conserving landscaping, I am sure there will be many fewer hummingbirds. Too bad the grounds didn’t just do away with the grass. The flowers were so amazing.
Hiram and Aliza Ross waiting for a hummingbird in 2018
If you look closely, you can see the keystone of the door in the 2018 photo. Too bad the bench is also gone.
I had these two photos shared with me many years ago of my Grandparents, Milo and Gladys Ross, at Dinosaur National Park. The Quarry Exhibit Building opened in June that year to the public. You can see the building to the left in the picture. The construction stairs and ladders are still in place and were removed that year. I would expect those were removed for the opening to the public, so this might predate the June opening.
Milo and Gladys Ross with Janet, Gerry, and Brent Preece
Milo Ross and Harold Ross were the sons of John “Jack” William Ross. Jack’s brother, James, had a number of family in the Vernal, Utah, area. Carma Ross Preece is on of James’ daughters. Brent, Gerry, Janet, and Lorri Preece are all her children (and Daryl was later added).
Based on these photos, it appears Milo and Gladys and Harold and Colleen made the trip out to Vernal to visit their first cousins. It may have had something to do with the opening of the Quarry Exhibit, if so it doesn’t appear Milo and Harold took their children with them.
Harold and Colleen Ross, Milo and Gladys Ross, Gerry, Carma, Janet, Brent, and Lorri Preece
We took our family to Dinosaur National Monument in March 2024. I knew the one photo was at the Quarry Exhibit, I suspected the other photo was nearby. I showed the pictures to one of the Rangers at the Quarry Exhibit and she gave me all sorts of history and information. Here was the kink, the photos were both backwards. We figured it out because the south end of the Quarry Exhibit does not have the elevation that it does on the north end. She also pointed out that the mountains in the second photo very much looked like Split Mountain, but she could not figure out the location that far to the north.
While at the Quarry Exhibit, I snapped this photo of the vicinity of where the prior photo was taken. You can see the structural upgrades to the building that were recently done. The Ranger indicated we were not allowed to go up on top, so this was the best we could do.
Dinosaur National Monument Quarry Exhibit
Here is a picture of the full Exhibit Building. The round entry building was removed due to the same issues that required redoing the foundations of the full building.
Dinosaur National Monument Quarry Exhibit
With a little sleuthing, we located the photo with Grandpa and Grandma Ross. Now to find the second location. The Ranger indicated it appeared to be north of Split Mountain, but if the photo was reversed it might simply be the Split Mountain overlook. But it was hard to tell and imagine if it is reversed.
We went out to the Josie Morris cabin and nothing quite lined up the father north we got. So we came back and went up to the Split Mountain Campground. We could tell it was the overlook almost immediately. Although the road had been expanded and other things had changed, it was the right location.
Split Mountain Overlook, Dinosaur National Monument, 1958 and 2024
This one was easier to take a family photo on our windy, brisk day.
Lillie, Hiram, Paul, James, and Aliza Ross at Split Mountain Overlook, Dinosaur National Monument
I tried reaching out to Janet Preece Pedersen, but she and Richard were out of town. We will have to make the trek back another time.
Sagacity 