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History of Cache County, Utah
Taken from the Utah History Encyclopedia (Links Added)
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The Utah Northern Railroad between Brigham City and Logan was completed in early 1873 and was later extended into Idaho. A branch line from Brigham City to Corinne then tied Cache County to the transcontinental line. The railroad provided jobs for Cache residents and also opened new markets for their farm produce, especially grain and dairy products. By 1880 national market trends had begun to affect the local farm economy. Advances in dry-farming techniques and canal and reservoir construction increased farm production, fruit and vegetables became cash crops, and the building of grain elevators in the 1890s allowed Cache farmers to store grain until prices improved. The county's sheep herds grew from 10,000 in 1880 to 300,000 by 1900, and dairy cows numbered 16,000 by 1910. Commercial creameries, flour mills, woolen mills, and knitting factories developed around Cache's booming turn-of-the-century farm production. Today, Cache County continues as the state's leader in dairy products and also as a major producer of hay, alfalfa, and grains.

The founding of Utah State University (USU) in Logan as a land-grant agricultural college in 1888 provided the key to the county's future. USU's scientific research, agricultural extension services, and experimental farms have benefited farmers in every part of the state. With some 12,000 students currently enrolled, USU has grown to be the county's largest single employer. Course offerings now include almost all academic subjects, and the university has become a major cultural resource for the community and state. A variety of manufacturing firms, retail trade outlets, and service providers (including government services) contribute to Cache County's diversified economy in the twentieth century.

Linda Thatcher

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