Corinne

Corinne is a quiet farming community located four miles west and one mile north of Brigham City, near Interstate I-84 which runs from Salt Lake City to Boise, Idaho.  It has population of approximately 1,000 residents.  Known by many names including Burg on the Bear, the City of the Ungodly, Gentile City and others.  Its history is unique from other pioneer communities because it was settled by people of different religions and even those who professed no religious affiliation rather than by members of the L.D.S. (Mormon) faith.

The founders could see Corinne as the State Capitol as it was the shipping center of the railroad.  The town was laid out in February 1869 by Union Pacific, and within two weeks, there were 500 frame and tent buildings with businessmen such as Wells Fargo, Auerbacks, Kirkendallis, Keisels, Topance, and many more.  There were blacksmith shops, livery stables, boarding houses, hotels, an opera house, newspapers, banks, warehouses, cigar factory, saw mill, gambling halls, and yes, soiled doves.  There was a steamship built and launched in Corinne.  Corinne also had its own smelter, a slaughter house, flour mill, brick yard, and its own water system.  It had a large scale irrigation system and the first weather station.  A full scale orchard was planned, but the water brought the mineral salts to the surface, killing all the trees.  Consequently, Corinne Drainage System was formed.

There were seven churches established in Corinne: Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian, Catholic, Baptist, Jewish, Buddhist, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (L.D.S.).  There was a Masonic Lodge and also the Corinne Odd fellows was established.  It is now predominately L.D.S..

With the building of the Utah-Northern Railroad, Corinne's hopes and dreams were shattered, and she dwindled fast as a freighting center, but she was still a busy station until the building of  the Lucin Cut-Off across the Great Salt Lake in 1904-1905.  Corinne is now a small quiet community with several service stations, and a farm cooperative that services Box Elder County.  There are two grain mills in close proximity.  Marketing facilities are within reasonable distance of any farm in the vicinity, and rail facilities and good highways provide excellent market availability to this area.

Corinne has an elementary school.  A good county-consolidated school system provides high schools and middle schools at the nearby cities of Brigham City and Tremonton.  Students are transported free to schools from the rural area.

Corinne's unique history provides much electrifying material for story tellers, whether the tales are true, partially true, or false.