Helper, Utah
| Helper, Utah | |
|---|---|
| City | |
Along Main Street
|
|
 Location in Carbon County and the state of Utah |
|
 Location of Utah in the United States |
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| Coordinates: 39°41′19″N 110°51′27″W / 39.68861°N 110.85750°WCoordinates: 39°41′19″N 110°51′27″W / 39.68861°N 110.85750°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Utah |
| County | Carbon |
| Settled | c. 1881 |
| Incorporated | 1907 |
| Became a city | October 9, 1915 |
| Founded by | Teancum Pratt |
| Named for | Helper engines |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.8 sq mi (4.6 km2) |
| • Land | 1.8 sq mi (4.6 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 5,817 ft (1,773 m) |
| Population (2012) | |
| • Total | 2,189 |
| • Density | 1,222.8/sq mi (478.5/km2) |
| Time zone | Mountain (MST) (UTC-7) |
| • Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC-6) |
| ZIP code | 84526 |
| Area code(s) | 435 |
| FIPS code | 49-34530 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1428654 |
Helper is a city in Carbon County, Utah, United States, about 110 miles (180 km) southeast of Salt Lake City and 7 miles (11 km) northwest of the city of Price. It is known as the "Hub of Carbon County". The population was 2,201 at the 2010 census.
The city is located along U.S. Route 6/U.S. Route 191, a shortcut between Provo and Interstate 70, on the way from Salt Lake City to Grand Junction, Colorado. It is the location of the Western Mining and Railroad Museum, a tourist attraction that also contains household and commercial artifacts illustrating late 19th and early 20th-century living conditions. While the city revenue has fluctuated in recent years, traffic tickets have become an important source. Utah legislature proposed a bill in 2016 to limit amounts received by local governments from traffic fines.
With the arrival of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (D&RGW) in 1881-82, Helper began to develop as a population center. By 1887 the D&RGW had erected some twenty-seven frame residences, with more built later in the year. The railroad planned to make Helper a freight terminal after the rail lines were changed from narrow to standard gauge. The changeover process began in 1889 and was completed in 1891. In 1892, Helper was designated the division point between the eastern and western D&RGW terminals in Grand Junction, Colorado, and Ogden, Utah, respectively, and a new depot, hotel, and other buildings were constructed.
On April 21, 1897, Butch Cassidy and Elzy Lay robbed the Pleasant Valley Coal Company in nearby Castle Gate; they stayed in Helper the day before. It was said that Butch Cassidy later came back to Helper for occasional visits.
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Wikipedia