Item Detail
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18141
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0
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6
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English
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The Baron Woolen Mills : A Utah Legend
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Utah Historical Quarterly
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Spring 2007
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75
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no.2
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116-133
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In 1854, Brigham Young led the settlement of Brigham City. Soon after its settlement, the Brigham City Mercantile and Manufacturing Association was founded and the Brigham City woolen mills were created. A fire on December 21, 1877 destroyed the mill and the later rebuilding of the mill led to debt. This debt led to the privatization of the industries, and James Baron received ownership of the Brigham City woolen mills in 1878. The town later took over ownership of the mills, keeping them in operation until the depression in 1890s. After another fire in 1907, however, the town sold the mill to James Barons' son, Thomas Baron, in 1915. Thomas rebuilt the mills and by 1923 had a small business which grew to over two hundred employees by 1927. At this time, the mills produced various products: blankets, underwear, dresses, blazers, sweaters, and scarves. The mills suffered through both the Depression and Thomas Baron¿s death in the 1930s. Baron¿s three older sons, Thomas Jr., Rulon, and Glen, took charge of the mills, with Rulon becoming the sole owner in 1936. The company thrived during the Great Depression as it switched to the barter system, allowing customers to receive goods in exchange for wool. A third fire struck the mills in 1849, but quick action prevented their complete destruction. The mills were rebuilt and remodeled, adding a sprinkling system for the prevention of future fires, and were running again by the end of January of 1950. After Rulon's death in 1959, his sons, Duke, Dale, and Rex ran the business. They changed the way the business was run, focusing on client diversity and renewing the barter system. In 1988, the Baron Brothers sold the Baron Woolen Mills. The mills were not successful under the new owners, Sherwood Hirchi and Bob Sadler, and now stand idle.
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