Lund

Lund is a small unincorporated village located in the Escalante Valley of northwestern Iron County, Utah, United States, about 35 miles northwest of Cedar City. The town, established in the early twentieth century, was a station stop on the Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad (later Union Pacific Railroad), and was a community center for early twentieth century homesteaders. The area's population was never large, however, and most early settlers were unsuccessful due to the region's harsh and arid climate.

History

Railroad

After the railroad was extended from Milford to the Nevada sate line, Lund was an important station and siding town on the railroad as it crossed the northwest corner of Iron County. It was named for Rober C Lund, who was a prominent lawyer, raiulroad director, state legislator, and mine owner.

The first depot consisted of two box cars. Later, a fashionable depot, built by Union Pacific, was used for many years. As people came to homestead the area, a few businesses, a school, and post office came into existence. In 1910, the population was twenty-four; in 1913, it climbed to fifty two.

A railroad spur was extened into Cedar City in 1923 for freight trains, but passengers were still transported by bus from Lund to the southern Utah National Parks and other destinations.

During WWII, train traffic increased with troop trains, war supplies, and iron ore shipments, but passenger service greatly decreased. There were brief flurries of mining and other activities from time to time, but gradually the town became smaller. The school was closed in 1950 and the post office in 1966. The last passenger bus left for Cedar City in 1969. Onlu two original buildings remain: the little Holyoak store and the Inman warehouse.

Occasional travelers, miners, ranchers, wood-cutters, and those harvesting the delicious pinion nut, still drive through Lund to the west hills.

Flood

In 1922, floodwaters swept through Lund, causing massive destruction and disrupting the lives of its residents. According to Ann Nelson, Cedar City Public Library, "There had been a thaw and the water came from the mountains south of Newcastle. There were not culverts on the railroad so the right-of-way acted as a ditch for the water on its way to the low spot a few miles north of Lund. It actually flowed for several days and the town-site had to be evacuated." We are currently researching microfilm from the Iron County Record to find more information and will post it as soon as possible.

Today

More information is needed about the current condition of the Lund area

There are several building and structures that still exist in Lund.

Location

38.007520° -113.431165° @ 5000'

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