By Amber Bailey

AMALGA -- The names may be different, the houses may change and the concerns may vary. But life and lives remain the same if you live in Amalga.

"The first to make a home here were Hans Jorgensen and family. Acting on the advice of Stake President William B. Preston, in 1869 Jorgensen obtained a supply of lumber and with ox teams set out to find a new home. He was taken over the river on the Reese ferry which was near the place where Melvin Ballard's barn now stands. He drove about three miles north, chose a location by a natural spring, and set up a lumber shanty, probably the first home made there by white people.

"Then began the difficult task of reclaiming the desert. Since there were no near neighbors, the settlers had to be entirely self-sustaining. The towns were miles away on the opposite side of the river. There was range for the animals, but they must be watched continually to protect them from wild beasts. Sheds and corrals must be built. Brush and willows were used to advantage. The land must be cleared and cultivated. Water could not be obtained for irrigation. The river banks were high. Water for the home and for the garden must be carried in buckets from the spring."

--excerpt from the book, History of Amalga)

Today you'll find that more have settled in Amalga and call it home. It's home to approximately 450 residents including the Binghams and the Goniers.

Rulon Bingham has lived in Amalga for all 77 years of his life. His sister wanted him to move to Logan so they could live closer to each other.

"Why would I want to move to Logan," Bingham said. "It's too crowded."

So he remained right where he wanted, in Amalga. He has seen the changes over the years. These include new faces, homes and concerns.

Bingham remembers when Amalga used to be the small agricultural community it was named after. He used to watch the sugar beets that the Amalgamated Sugar Company grew leave on a train to Lewiston. Then when the plant sold its company, they built a park in its place. Bingham said they needed a place like that.

"I didn't have anything like that [while growing up]," he said.

Now Bingham has seen Amalga triple in size over the last 30 years. But the challenges of a small town remain the same, including a limited supply of water. Bingham worries for the dairy farmers because he is one.

During the last few years farmers haven't had enough water for their farms. And there are no other resources. The reservoir five miles from Amalga is also dry. But the small town of Amalga manages. If they have to, they use water out of their closest wells like they used to do.

"They seemed to survive," Bingham said. "They lived as long as we do."

Bingham would rather concentrate on taking care of his farm. His latest challenge is keeping the raccoons out of his corn. He doesn't want them eating it before its cut.

The less time he has to worry about his farm, the more time he can spend with his first passion -- his garden. He awakes very early each morning just to take care of it.

"I do it out of habit," he said. "[I'm used] to get[ting] up early and milking cows."

Because that's life in Amalga.

Calm and peaceful.

At least that's what one of Amalga's newest residents, Sandy Gonier said.

Gonier has only lived in Amalga since June. Before she moved there she lived in Orem for 12 years.

Yet, Gonier says she has 50 percent less stress than when she lived in Orem. She says there isn't that competition that comes from living in a bigger town.

"[You don't feel that need] to keep up with the Joneses," she said.

Gonier also says she wastes less time because she doesn't have the luxury of living close to a grocery store. When you are closer you go to the stores several times a week or day, she said.

"If I was cooking spaghetti and [I] forgot parmesan cheese, [I'd] make excessive trips," she said. "Now I make lists."

Gonier also likes that her neighbors watch over her. Amalga is a five-mile stretch of road with a bunch of houses on it, she said. She doesn't even live on the main road, yet her neighbors noticed a new door on her house. She also likes how it's brought her family closer together.

Because you're around your family a lot more, it makes you get along, Gonier said.

"You learn to make your family your friends," she said. "The city has so many outlets, [but here] you learn to make permanent relationships."

Gonier's favorite thing about Amalga is the beautiful sunsets that were blocked by rooftops in Orem.

She said, "[Here] there isn't a house for miles instead [I] see pink and purple over the rim of mountains."

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