Escalante was established with 18 5-Acre blocks in the Zion Block Format. Each Block was 5 Acres divided into 1 ¼ Acre parcels. The first flour mill was operating in 1880, three years after the formal church organization was founded. Then in 1878 the 1st school was built and in 1879 the Cooperative Store opened.
The arid climate at 5,700 foot elevation found high mountains to the west and north, broker desert terrain east and south. Mountain grazing was done in the summer and desert grazing in the winter. There was only 130 day growing season.
Most families owned a dairy cow, hogs and poultry. They had a garden on their 1 ¼ acre yet 13,016 acres were farmed in mostly pasturage and hay. The average distance from their homes to their farms was 2.3 miles. Home canning from gardens and fruit trees, with dried meat from hunting and dairy and poultry products kept families fed all year. Maximum population in 1940 1,161.
In 1923 there were 180 households with 135 farmers and cattlemen. The pleasant climate, fertile soil, and the comparatively small amount of work to survive made it a wonderful place to live and raise a family. Electricity was available in 1923, but Kerosene lighting was still in 40% of the houses and wells provided their water. In 1923 there were 385 students K-12.
Over the past 130 years the town has not changed significantly from a Morman Village. The population is still 80% conservative Morman families, even though a number of non LDS families have relocated to this remote town. A large number of newer move-ins do not reside in the town year-round and a significant number do not live within the City Limits.
Over the coming months we’ll share some historic photos Tracy has restored for many of the families here in town. We’ll try and continue to share bits and pieces of what makes our Village so special. We hope you’ll join us.