Peach Days

History of "Peach Day"

From "History of Box Elder County 1851-1937" it says, "...the idea of a Peach Day celebration occurred to these three gentlemen (S. Norman Lee, Victor E. Madsen, and J. Frank Bowring.). However, the time for harvesting the peach crop was three months distant so they decided to hold a strawberry festival. The success of this venture gave fresh impetus in planning the first Peach Day celebration which was held in the late summer of 1904." pg. 68.

These three men worked together to come up with the idea as part of the Box Elder Stake amusement committee. The first "Peach Day" was under the direction of the stake but the "Commercial Club" (precursor to the Chamber of Commerce) took over the next year and has managed the festival since.

S. Norman Lee (my great granduncle) (1875-1963) owned an abstract company (among other jobs) that he eventually sold to Clark Hillam. His home still stands and is included in the photos.

Victor Emanuel Madsen (1879-1922) was the editor and manager of the Box Elder News from 1909 until his untimely death from complications from an appendectomy. He died at the Pearse Hospital.

John Franklin Bowring (1866-1947) was Justice of the Peace in Brigham City for 3 terms and was also the Chief Probation Officer for 10 years for Box Elder, Cache, and Rich counties.

It appears that the strawberry festival was then adopted by Pleasant Grove.

Photos are used for educational, nonprofit and noncommercial use only.

Peach Days in 1928 passing in front of the homes of Norman Lee and Robert K. Wilson on Main Street approaching 100 N. Notice that the parade, for a time, went north to south.

Norman Lee and wife, Ida Knowlton Lee, together with William Clements Horsely and wife Florence Adella Burt Horsely, in a Peach Days parade in the 1950s.

S. Norman Lee

Victor E. Madsen

J. Frank Bowring