Mining, particularly
of fluorspar, hauled by dump truck to be shipped from Delta by railroad ore car, also enhanced the local economy in the late 1940s and early
1950s, as did the mining and milling of beryllium several decades later.
Completion of Highway 6/50 in the early 1950s brought new prosperity
to the city's hotels, motels, restaurants, and service stations, as
well as stimulating other enterprises. The area has long been popular
with pheasant hunters, water-sports enthusiasts, rockhounds, all-terrain-vehicle
riders, and those who appreciated a vast and varied desert landscape.
Recreational facilities in the Delta area are exceptionally good.
In the late 1970s
promoters of the Intermountain Power Project (IPP) announced their intentions
to locate a coal-burning plant near Delta to generate electric power
for southern California and other areas. Many local water shareholders
sold the company essential water at good prices. Company and local government
officials cooperated in enhancing much of the municipal infrastructure
in preparation for the increased population expected during the construction
phase. The resultant boom was exceptionally free from increased crime
of conflict, and the IPP presence has been a positive aspect of recent
local history. Delta residents continue to make their city an excellent
place to live. They have always taken particular pride in their schools,
and higher than average percentage of Delta students have gone on to
higher education studies and outstanding achievements. The high school
wrestling team has attained the national attention for winning an unprecedented
twenty-five state championships as of the early 1990s.
Edward Leo Lyman