Research Oral History

Teacher's Packet Oral Histories Articles Historic Research Students	Clarence Kirkham of Tremonton stands with a peice of the Kelton redwood pipe at Golden Spike National Historic Site.
Clarence Kirkham finds a literal link to his past. By Kerry Brinkerhoff Clarence Kirkham of Tremonton says his children call him the "walking historian." Well he did walk an interesting piece of history into Golden Spike NHS. Clarence has been gathering photos and information on the history of the railroad towns he grew up and lived in. He knew of the 8-mile wooden line that brought water to the town of Kelton where he lived from 1929 to 1932 and back again from 1937 to 1942. He said that on many occasions he had to go out with pieces of plywood and innertube to nail over leaks in the redwood pipeline. Kirkham had been looking to see the old pipeline. So when he heard that the Union Station had some on display he went to see it. It was not the same as the line at Kelton but he learned that after drilling the hole in the wood, torches were used to burn off the slivers. When asking around about the line at Kelton someone told him to talk with Sheila Marble of Riverside. When Kirkham went to speak with Marble, she told him her father Nolan Oman does have a ranch two miles north of the old Kelton Station. She also told Kirkham they had some of the water pipe. Kirkham was ecstatic, he had found a physical piece of his history. Now he has brought a piece of the line for Golden Spike NHS to put on display. The pipe is square, almost the size of a railroad tie. In the middle is drilled a hole that Kirkham said is the size of a 4 inch pipe. The inside is weathered, having been used from 1869 to 1942 and then left in the elements to present day. Kirkham said, "Just think of this eight mile aqueduct that flowed from a spring bringing water to the town of Kelton. What a wonderful history this is, an original wooden line." Over and over the "walking historian" said, "think of all the water I drank through this line."   END