DUTCH JOHN

Dutch John (Daggett) is two miles north of Flaming Gorge Dam. The settlement was built to house Flaming Gorge Dam construction workers. Today it houses the employees of the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area centered around the dam and the lake. In the early 1860s, "Dutch" John Hanselena, a horse trader and miner from Schleswig, Prussia, settled in the Red Canyon Bottoms and prospected in the area. He held a popper claim on the north side of Red Canyon and left his name on several nearby sites. The nickname, "Dutch John," came from his strong accent. Nearby are Dutch John Mountains, Flat, Canyon, Spring, Bench, etc.

John W. Van Cott