In 1869, when Union Pacific Railroad tracks were laid on the west side of the Bear River, the city of Corinne was established. It was the last Union Pacific Railroad tracks on the transcontinental line. Within a month, the population had reached 1,500. By April, the number had risen to 3,000. In February 1870, Corinne had been incorporated. The state of Utah was full of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, however, Corinne was not built by its members. Instead, the town was inhabited by people from different religious, mainly Christian, denominations. In September 1870, the Corrinne Methodist Episcopal Church was formed.
\nThe Corrine Methodist Episcopal Church was a samll, one story building. The front entrance has a Gothic arch with a pair of doors under a glass transom bordered with tiny square panes in wood muntins. The Reverend G.M. Pierce had a specific mission in opening the church's doors. He hoped to convert Mormons in Utah and diminish the power that the church had in the territory. However, his grand vision was never realized. As the railroad continued to develop in Northern Utah, the main freight hub moved away from Corinne into the rail yard in Ogden and the city largely closed its doors.
\nIn 1971, the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. After church services ended in 1957, the building was used for a wide array of purposes. The building was used as a venue for weddings, funerals, civic meetings, and recitals. The space was also used as a museum. It still has the original bricks which were made in Corinne. The original bell still sits in the small tower atop the building. In 2020, the building was closed due to safety concerns. However, as of 2022, restoration efforts are being made by townspeopel to open the building for activities.
","sponsor":null,"accessinfo":"","lede":"Dedicated in 1870, the Corinne Methodist Episcopal Church was the center of efforts to “convert” Mormons to Christianity and to break the power of the LDS church in Utah Territory.Anderson, Bernice Gibbs. Corinne, the City of the Ungodly. Brigham City, 1959.
","Brown, Nabct. “Fundraising to restore Corinne Methodist church picking up steam, support coming from near and far for long-suffering project.” Box Elder News Journal. January 19, 2022.
","Forsgren, Lydia Walker. History of Box Elder County. Box Elder: Box Elder Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1936.
","Huchel, Frederick. A History of Box Elder County. Salt Lake City: Utah State Historical Society, 1999.
","Madsen, Brigham. Corinne: The Gentile Capital of Utah. Salt Lake City: Utah State Historical Society, 1980.
","Merkel, Henry Martin. History of Methodism in Utah. Colorado Springs: Dentan Print Co., 1938.
","National Register of Historic Places. “Corinne Methodist Episcopal Church, Corinne, Box Elder County, Utah.” 7199842, 1971.
"],"factoids":[],"files":{"https://www.intermountainhistories.org/files/fullsize/b4ed198c1c0ce1ca0ee14f927523b645.jpg":{"id":3013,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"The Methodist Episcopal Church","description":"The second Protestant Church built in Utah. | \"Methodist-Episcopal Church, Corinne, Ut. p.3.\" n.d. 06910; Utah State Historical Society Classified Photo Collection. Used by permission, Utah State Historical Society. https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6hd83pj.","thumbnail":"https://www.intermountainhistories.org/files/square_thumbnails/b4ed198c1c0ce1ca0ee14f927523b645.jpg"},"https://www.intermountainhistories.org/files/fullsize/5eeb01baf29c7c9f9dfc634a8ec5a5b6.jpg":{"id":3014,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"The Town of Corinne","description":"Pictured are the tracks that motivated the establishment of Corinne. | \"Corinne, Utah p.6.\" n.d. 15264; Classified Photograph Collection. Used by permission, Utah State Historical Society. https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6p27828.","thumbnail":"https://www.intermountainhistories.org/files/square_thumbnails/5eeb01baf29c7c9f9dfc634a8ec5a5b6.jpg"},"https://www.intermountainhistories.org/files/fullsize/580bbc16a8ffad1f766fcd685fa71a74.jpg":{"id":3015,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"The Methodist Episcopal Church in Corinne, Utah","description":"\"Methodist-Episcopal Church, Corinne, Ut. p.2.\" n.d. 08195; Utah State Historical Society Classified Photo Collection. Used by permission, Utah State Historical Society. https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6n58vcf.","thumbnail":"https://www.intermountainhistories.org/files/square_thumbnails/580bbc16a8ffad1f766fcd685fa71a74.jpg"}}}