“Sardine Canyon: Highway 89/91”
- Ken Bott
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
After Brigham City was settled, pioneers continued to push north to create new settlements. Mantua was settled in 1863 and a steep, dangerous pioneer route connected Mantua with Cache Valley. For about 70 years, this route was used only during the summer.
According to an article on https://mysteryofutahhistory.blogspot.com/2015/05/
“The first Mormon settlers on the way to Cache County in the fall of 1856 likely traveled about the same route to Sardine Summit and to about Dry Lake as we do today. However, then – presumably because of water sources and a more gradual route – headed directly east to Sardine Spring. Then, they followed the original Sardine Canyon northeast into Cache Valley and near today’s Hyrum Reservoir and Mount Sterling Cemetery. That was the original path into Cache Valley. The first real road in the area went through the side canyon that begins just north of Sardine Summit, following part of the original pioneer route, but then headed east along today’s Mt. Pisgah Road and into McMurdle Hollow and then into the community of Hyrum.” (This article also contains some interesting research into the name “Sardine Canyon".)
In 1924, it was decided that a road be constructed and a “dugway” was cut into the mountain with a maximum grade of 6% and at a cost of $200,000. In 1926, the US Highway System was created and the road was named “US-89” and later, “91” was added. According to https://www.mantuautah.gov/history/mantua-and-hwy-89..., the “1924 alignment went through what is geographically known as Sardine Canyon. If you look northeast from the modern highway near the summit today, you can still see remnants of this old road winding along the hillside.” (see photo)
Though much improved, the road still had occasional issues and was closed during the winter of 1948-1949. In 1960, the modern highway was built that bypasses the original Sardine Canyon entirely. The road now travels through three canyons from Brigham City: Box Elder Canyon, Dry Canyon, and Wellsville Canyon.
