Uintah County Regional History Center

Uintah County Regional History Center The history center is a source for three photo collections, Thorne, Vernal Express and Basic Photo. See more at history.uintah.gov

Also, Vernal Express newspapers, yearbooks, biographies, oral histories, cemetery records, history books, and magazines.

One night in 1966, a local family’s home began filling with smoke. The refrigerator motor in the home of the Bath family...
10/11/2026

One night in 1966, a local family’s home began filling with smoke. The refrigerator motor in the home of the Bath family burned up, placing them in danger. Luckily, the family dog, Peanuts, came to the rescue. Peanuts woke up the Baths’ son Vincent, who alerted the rest of the family. Pictured here is Vincent Bath holding Peanuts. Good boy, Peanuts! 🐾

Strange noises and the sound of footsteps echo in its halls… The Roosevelt City Hospital, pictured here, was originally ...
10/10/2026

Strange noises and the sound of footsteps echo in its halls… The Roosevelt City Hospital, pictured here, was originally built in the 1940s. The building later became Roosevelt’s city administrative offices, including the police department and jail.

The building gradually gained a reputation of being haunted. Dispatchers working in the building reported feeling drafts of cold air. Other times they heard unexplained sounds. The building’s basement, where the former morgue and jail cells were, reportedly gave some employees an “eerie feeling.”

Today, the building is home to the Uintah Basin Home Health Agency. But do ghosts still roam the building? If you would like to learn more about this supposedly haunted building, you can read the Uintah Basin Standard article “Ghostly phenomena help to contribute to Halloween spirit” (October 1, 2000) at the Uintah County Regional History Center, located at 152 E 100 N, Vernal. 👻

Did you know the U.S. mail used to be delivered to the Basin on horseback? Before modern highways and delivery trucks, g...
10/09/2026

Did you know the U.S. mail used to be delivered to the Basin on horseback? Before modern highways and delivery trucks, getting mail into the Basin was an adventure! Early mail carriers like Lou Woodard, Joseph Dudley and Alfred Billings originally braved the journey on horseback all the way from Rock Springs, Wyoming.

Later, delivery upgraded to a four-horse coach traveling from Price through Nine-Mile Canyon into the Basin, expanding further into Rangely by 1892. Over time, the route shifted to bring mail into the valley from Price, through Indian Canyon, heading into Duchesne, and finally reaching Vernal!

From strange sights on the range to quiet shadows in old Basin homesteads, the Uinta Basin has its fair share of eerie l...
10/08/2026

From strange sights on the range to quiet shadows in old Basin homesteads, the Uinta Basin has its fair share of eerie local folklore passed down through generations. Have you heard any good Uinta Basin ghost stories? What’s your absolute favorite?

NOTICE: The Uintah County Regional History Center will be closed this coming Monday, October 12, 2026, in observance of ...
10/08/2026

NOTICE: The Uintah County Regional History Center will be closed this coming Monday, October 12, 2026, in observance of Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples' Day.

Did you know the Dutch John Post Office started out in a trailer in 1958? It was a temporary situation until they could ...
10/08/2026

Did you know the Dutch John Post Office started out in a trailer in 1958? It was a temporary situation until they could get an official building. Today, in 2026, the post office is located at 690 South Blvd, Dutch John, Utah.

Then and Now: Vernal Masonic Temple. Erected in 1963, this building was officially dedicated in 1976, a year before the ...
10/08/2026

Then and Now: Vernal Masonic Temple. Erected in 1963, this building was officially dedicated in 1976, a year before the photo on top was taken. The photo on the bottom was taken in 2026. This historic building was rededicated in 2007. The building is located at 166 South 100 West on private property.

10/07/2026

“At last, in the top of the ledge where the softer overlying beds form a divide, a kind of saddle, I saw eight of the tail bones of [an Apatosaurus] in exact position. It was a beautiful sight.” — Earl Douglass, August 17, 1909

117 years ago, Earl Douglass made the discovery that would spark the creation of Dinosaur National Monument. Just outside Jensen, Utah, Douglass unearthed the first fossils in what would become one of the world’s most famous dinosaur quarries.

Between 1909 and 1924, paleontologists excavated more than 5,000 fossils from 10 dinosaur genera here. Visitors, scientists, and curious kids alike continue to be inspired by over 1,500 fossils that remain visible in the quarry wall exactly where they were discovered.

Days after his discovery, Douglass welcomed the first visitors. They climbed the steep hillside to see the fossils. Seeing their excitement, he envisioned a protected site where people could observe dinosaur bones still embedded in the rock. His advocacy paid off: in 1915, President Woodrow Wilson established Dinosaur National Monument using the Antiquities Act.

Since then, millions have stood in awe of this ancient landscape. Douglass’ discovery deepened our understanding of prehistoric life, inspired scientific careers, and left a lasting legacy in the Uinta Basin and the field of paleontology.

Today and every day, we celebrate his remarkable find and the crew who helped uncover a piece of Earth’s distant past.



NPS photo from the Douglass Collection edited by Evan Hall of a group of early 20th-century people exploring rocky terrain near fossils, with one woman holding a parasol for shade and another holding a baby.

The bookmobile made a stop in Dutch John! Yesterday, the Regional History Center joined up with our friends at the Libra...
10/07/2026

The bookmobile made a stop in Dutch John! Yesterday, the Regional History Center joined up with our friends at the Library for an awesome day out on the Uintah County Little Library Express! Come visit us and learn more about preserving local history.

Preserving the stories of the Uinta Basin! The Uintah County Regional History Center collects, protects, and preserves t...
10/07/2026

Preserving the stories of the Uinta Basin! The Uintah County Regional History Center collects, protects, and preserves the rich, multi-generational history of Uintah, Duchesne, and Daggett Counties.

Our collection houses: photographs, negatives and film, newspapers, oral and personal histories, scrapbooks, maps, cemetery records, microfilm, local books and magazines, and more! Topics include, but are not limited to, local events, people, monuments, historic sites, and businesses!

Stop by or reach out to explore our collections at 152 East 100 North, Vernal, Utah. Hours are 8am to 5pm from Monday to Friday. Closed on holidays.

Address

152 East 100 North
Vernal, UT
84078

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

(435) 789-6275

Website

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