Wanship-Then and Now

When it is sunny and warm at the end of the first week of November you gotta go fly fishing.
Or at least you do if you are Bernie.
He asked me if I wanted to come along....
He didn't need to ask twice!

This time he wanted to fish the Weber river which ran through a small town known as Wanship.
(Click on the picture to read a short review of Wanship history.)
I was quite pleased that the historical marker was near where we parked our car.
While Bernie got his fishing gear out, I walked over to it to read.
Moments later I was both impressed and annoyed.

Impressed to think that this little bit of Utah at one time supported at least three full time milliners.

Annoyed that today in Wanship there is nary a single millinery shop to be had.
Wanship: What happened???

Sigh.

It seems I was just born too late for easy access to millinery shopping.

Wanship is a very pretty little valley. I could easily imagine the Tipi Indians roaming the hills...and women in lovely bonnets driving buggies on outings to church and the general stores.

Now all I see are fishermen and cattle.
There were also sheep, llamas, horses, and goats being raised nearby.

(No emus though. Maybe that is why hat making fell by the wayside. You need a good source of feathers if you want to trim fine hats.)

The Weber River usually has plenty of fish, but today all that was caught was glimpse of beautiful late fall scenery.

The grasses were rustling in the breezes, and I amused myself by studying all the colors of windswept grasses.

Blue grays, golden yellows, pale golds, sage greens...I sketched scenes in my mind while the fish were busy skunking Bernie.

Such a cute little general store!

No hats though.

Not a single one.

Wanship: Get a clue...check your heritage.

Remember: Everyone looks better in a hat!