Chester, Utah

{{Short description| Unincorporated community in the state of Utah, United States}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Chester, Utah | official_name = | settlement_type = Unincorporated community | nickname = | motto =  | image_skyline = | image size = | image_caption = | image_flag = | image_seal =  | pushpin_map = Utah#Utah | pushpin_label = Chester | pushpin_label_position = right | pushpin_map_caption = Location of Chester within the State of Utah | pushpin_mapsize = | image_map = | map_caption =  | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = United States | subdivision_type1 = State | subdivision_name1 = Utah | subdivision_type2 = County | subdivision_name2 = Sanpete | government_footnotes = | government_type = | leader_title =  | leader_name = | leader_title1 = | leader_name1 = | established_title = | established_date = | founder = David Candland | named_for = Chesterfield  | unit_pref = Imperial | area_footnotes = | area_magnitude = | area_total_km2 = | area_land_km2 = | area_water_km2 =  | population_as_of = 2000 | population_footnotes = | population_total = 178 | population_density_km2 = auto  | timezone = Mountain (MST) | utc_offset = -7 | timezone_DST = MDT | utc_offset_DST = -6 | elevation_footnotes = <ref name="gnis"/> | elevation_ft = 5515 | coordinates = {{coord|39|28|34|N|111|33|47|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}  | postal_code_type = ZIP codes | postal_code = 84623 | area_code = 435 | blank_name = FIPS code | blank_info = | blank1_name = GNIS feature ID | blank1_info = 1439662<ref name="gnis"/> | website = | footnotes = }}

'''Chester''' is an unincorporated community in central Sanpete County, Utah, United States.<ref name="gnis">{{cite gnis|1439662|Chester}}</ref>

==Description== The community is located in the Sanpete Valley, {{convert|4|mi|km}} west of Spring City at the junction of Utah State Route 132 (formerly SR-11 and U.S. Route 189) and Utah State Route 117.<ref>{{cite map|url=http://www.mytopo.com/maps/?lat=39.4760&lon=-111.5629&z=12|title=MyTopo Maps - Chester, UT, USA|website=mytopo.com|publisher=Trimble Navigation, Ltd.|accessdate=18 Mar 2018}}</ref> The population was 178 at the 2000 census.<ref name="census"/>

Chester Ponds (a series of six small reservoirs)<ref>{{cite gnis|1439663|Chester Ponds}}</ref> are located along the Canal<ref name="gnis cc">{{cite gnis|1439461|Canal Creek}}</ref> and Oak<ref>{{cite gnis|1444015|Oak Creek}}</ref> creeks in the northeastern part of the community.<ref>{{cite map|url=http://www.mytopo.com/maps/?lat=39.4887&lon=-111.5468&z=14|title=MyTopo Maps - Chester Ponds, Utah, USA|website=mytopo.com|publisher=Trimble Navigation, Ltd.|accessdate=18 Mar 2018}}</ref>{{US Census population | align = left | 1880= 188 | 1890= 259 | 1900= 270 | 1910= 279 | 1920= 256 | 1930= 171 | 1940= 192 | 1950= 153 | 2000= 178 | footnote=Source: U.S. Census Bureau<ref name="census">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/decennial/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060208103743/http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/decennial/|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 Feb 2006|title=Census of Population and Housing|website=census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=4 Nov 2011}}</ref> }}

==History== Chester was founded by David Candland. In the beginning the town was named '''Canal Creek''' after the waterway<ref name="gnis cc"/> from which the community received its water. Candland then changed the name to '''Chesterfield''' after his hometown in England; it was later reduced to '''Chester'''.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z3Pqk9tazU4C&pg=PA77|title=Utah Place Names: A Comprehensive Guide to the Origins of Geographic Names: A Compilation|last=Van Cott|first=John W.|publisher=University of Utah Press|location=Salt Lake City|page=77|year=1990|accessdate=18 Mar 2018|isbn=978-0-87480-345-7|oclc=797284427}}</ref> Chester had its own post office until 1967.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=UT&county=Sanpete|title=Post Offices: Utah: Sanpete County|website=postalhistory.com|publisher=Jim Forte|location=Las Vegas, Nevada|accessdate=18 Mar 2018}}</ref>

In August 1885, the San Pete Valley Railway completed its tracks as far south as Chester and began regular service to Nephi (via Moroni and Fountain Green); however, passenger service was not offered until after the "Station House" was completed.<ref name="spvr">{{cite web|url=http://utahrails.net/utahrails/spvry-1874-1908.php|title=San Pete Valley Railway (1874-1908)|website=utahrails.net|publisher=Don Strack|date=24 Mar 2015|accessdate=18 Mar 2018}}</ref> The railway ran north–south through the western part of the community, at about 3300 East. The railway was acquired by Union Pacific Railroad in 1890 and extended farther south to Manti by 1984. The railway was taken over by the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad (D&RG) in 1908 and became known as the D&RG San Pete Valley Branch. The branch was later abandoned by the D&RG (by then known as the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad) in 1947,<ref name="spvr"/> leaving the Marysvale Branch, through Spring City, as the nearest rail service.

==See also== {{portal-inline|Utah}}

==References== {{reflist|22em}}

==External links== {{commons category-inline|Chester, Utah}}

Category:Unincorporated communities in Sanpete County, Utah Category:Unincorporated communities in Utah