Organizations

: Uintah Railway (Colorado and Utah); A railway line the Gilson Manufacturing Company created that ran from Crevasse, Colorado (later known as Mack, Colorado) to Black Dragon in order to mine natural asphalt from the Black Dragon uintaite vein. The railway was headquartered in Mack, Colorado. It’s final destination and turning point was Watson, Utah. It’s main mission was to haul gilsonite, but it also included one passenger car. According to Mesa County History Project interviewee Harry Sylvester Godby, the railroad served as the postal service for the route, delivering to mailboxes along the way. A passenger could board the train by waiting at one of the mailboxes until the train arrived. The Uintah also ran a stage line from Watson to Vernal. The railroad was directed by general manager M.W. Cooley, known as Captain Cooley. He resided in Mack and lived with his wife in the Mack Hotel. He was replaced by Major Hood. During the Depression, the company placed most of its workers on half-time, rather than firing them. When the Gilson Asphaltum Company, owner of the Uintah, found it was cheaper to truck gilsonite than it was to transport it by rail, it spelled the end of the Uintah. It ceased operations in 1939.

: Uintah Stage Line (Mesa County, Colorado); A stage line, apparently not affiliated with the Uintah Railway. It was in operation at least by 1940, when Paul Elden Henry drove the stage route from Mack to Grand Junction. According to Henry, the stage coach was actually a combination bus and truck. It delivered, goods, mail, and people.

: Union High School District (Mesa County, Colorado); This school district formed at the consolidation of the Rhone, Star, Longfellow, Hunter, Loma, and Fruita districts in 1904. It was eventually absorbed into Mesa County School District 51.

: Union Oil Company (California); An oil company that held 18,000 acres of oil shale near De Beque, Colorado as of 1920. However, they ignored it in favor of a liquid oil strike in California. Union Oil became Unocal, and Unocal in turn was bought by Chevron and ceased independent operations.

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