Prior to European settlers arriving, this area served as part of the migration path of the Shoshone. The Ute lived to the south. Daggett County is named for Ellsworth Daggett, the first surveyor-general of Utah. It was founded in 1918 by splitting off the northern edge of Uintah County. My reading of the history suggests this split occurred because the area now known as Daggett County was darn hard to reach from Vernal in the winter. Given the division of pre-European peoples in the area, a natural barrier is certainly suggested.
Europeans were originally drawn to the area by rumors there were diamonds in the Uinta Mountains. Turns out scams existed before the internet. The area was not livable until the combined efforts of Adolph Jessen, Ellsworth Daggett, R. C. Chambers, and others brought irrigation to the area. The town of Manilla has served as the county seat since the county’s founding. The town itself was settled in 1898 by James Warby and Franklin Twichell and their families. This same year Admiral Dewey successfully invaded Manilla, Philippines during the Spanish-American War, hence the name. Admiral Dewey has nothing to do with Utah but apparently, the Battle of Manilla Bay was on people’s minds when it was time to name the town. It was not incorporated as a town until 1958. I love that the Wiki article on Manilla specifically lists the town has five east-west streets. How to say “small town” without saying small town.
The museum here will teach you more about the area. It is only open from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Check their website for specific hours. https://www.daggettcounty.org/91/Museum When the museum is open, you can also tour the CCC building where this cache is specifically located. The cache is outside and accessible regardless of the museum's hours.
This is a no-frills letterbox with a Spidey stamp. Because of the museum's proximity to the courthouse, the Daggett County Sheriff is aware of and provided permission for the cache's placement.
For more about Daggett County:
Daggett County https://www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/d/DAGGETT_COUNTY.shtml
Daggett County, Utah https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daggett_County,_Utah
Manila, Utah https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manila,_Utah
Daggett County About Us https://www.daggettcounty.org/54/About-Us
History of Manila https://manilautah.com/tourism/history-of-manila/
Uintah County, Utah https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uintah_County,_Utah
