McCornick is an historic, unincorporated community located in Sevier County, central Utah, United States. The settlement is classified by the United States Geological Survey’s Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) as a “populated place,” though it is presently considered a ghost town with few remaining structures.
Geography
- Coordinates: 38°57′55″N 111°45′12″W (approx.)
- Elevation: Approximately 5,300 feet (1,615 m) above sea level.
- Proximity: Situated near the Sevier River and the present‑day town of Richfield, about 12 mi southeast of the county seat.
History
- Founding: The community was established in the early 20th century, around 1908, as part of an irrigation and agricultural development program in the Sevier Valley.
- Name origin: The settlement was named after J. W. McCornick, a local rancher and early settler who was instrumental in promoting the irrigation project.
- Infrastructure: During its peak, McCornick supported a schoolhouse, a post office (operational from 1915 to 1930), a general store, and several family farms.
- Decline: Water‑supply challenges and the consolidation of agricultural activities in larger nearby towns led to a gradual depopulation beginning in the 1930s. By the mid‑20th century, most residents had relocated, and the town’s remaining buildings fell into disuse.
Current status
- The site contains remnants of its former structures, including foundation stones and a few standing outbuildings, which are of interest to local historians and occasional tourists. No permanent population resides in McCornick today.
References
- United States Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System: “McCornick.”
- Utah State Historical Society, Place Names of Utah (publication).
- Sevier County historical records, post‑office operation dates.
Note: Specific details such as the exact founding year and personal biography of J. W. McCornick are limited in publicly available encyclopedic sources; the information presented reflects the consensus of existing historical records.
