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Newel G. Daines: 32nd Mayor of Logan

daines_lgDates in Office: 1982-1990
Terms in Office: 2
Age when Elected: 58

Newel George Daines Jr. was born on January 12, 1924 in Logan, Utah. His parents were Newel George Daines Sr. and Verna Rainey. He married Annie Jean Carlson in 1944, and they had five children. He lived his whole life in Cache Valley and died in Logan on September 30, 2016.

Mr. Daines graduated from George Washington University Medical School in 1948 and worked for 44 years as a physician. During the Korean War, he served in the U.S. Medical Corps then returned to Logan in 1957 after specializing in anesthesiology. From 2003 to 2006 he was the driving force behind the complete remodel of the Historic Cache County Courthouse, even personally milling some of the interior woodwork. In December 1986 he was elected Chairman of the Board of Utah Association of Municipal Power Systems, a conglomerate of 26 Utah cities that operate municipal power services. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the giant Intermountain Power Agency and board member of Cache Valley Bank.

Mr. Daines was elected Logan Mayor as a write-in candidate in November 1981 and reelected in November 1985 for a second term. As mayor, Daines was responsible for the remodel of the then vacant Sears building into a new city hall and library in 1985. He also doubled the culinary storage capacity, expanding and upgrading the sewage disposal facilities to conform to a new clean water standard. Under his watch, the city planned for and purchased the land for the Logan River Golf Course, constructed the new hydroelectric plant at the mouth of Logan Canyon, and continued with the restoration of the Ellen Eccles Theatre and Thatcher-Young Mansion.

Sources:

1. "Newel George Daines Jr. (1924-2016)". The Logan Herald Journal. Logan, Utah: October 2, 2016.
2. Daines, Newell G., Jr., M.D. "I Gave Up a Six-Figure Income to Be the Mayor". Medical Economics. May 14, 1984. Pages 270-278.
3. McCutcheon, Pat. "Daines wins Logan City mayoral election". The Logan Herald Journal. November 6, 1985. Pages 1 & 2.
4. McCutcheon, Pat. "Economic progress to be priority in Daines' term". The Logan Herald Journal. January 2, 1986. Pages 1.
5. Opsahl, Kevin. Two Cache Valley giants die in one week. "The Herald Journal". Logan, Utah: October 3, 2016.

Timeline

   1982

  • ~ Logan negotiated the purchase of the Sears property and sold the old city office (180 North main) to the county for $660,000.

   1983

  • ~ The Cache Valley Cruise-In began with five organizers. The event currently attracts over 1000 vehicles with a spectator attendance of more than 30,000 people. The three day event takes place at the Logan/Cache Fairgrounds and a parade on Logan's Main Street.

  • ~ Fire destroyed the third floor of the north wing of Old Main on the USU campus. The roof was removed and the entire north wing was gutted. By Fall of 1985, it was rebuilt, including an elaborate turret that had been removed after the earthquake of August 1962. 52

   1984

  • ~ Central Park at 280 East Center Street was renamed Merlin Olsen Central Park. Olsen gained stardom when he was finished playing football at USU. He subsequently played for the Los Angeles Rams for fifteen years and was honored in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980. He is also known for his acting in the Little House on the Prairie television series where he portrayed farmer Jonathan Garvey. 36

  • ~ Bridgerland Applied Technology College moved to 1301 North 600 West in Logan, the old Wurlitzer piano and organ factory. This is currently the main of four campuses located in Box Elder, Cache and Rich counties.

   1985

  • ~ The Logan Library collection had grown to include over 50,000 items.

  • ~ The Logan Library's online card catalog was finally completed. 3

  • December ~ After extensive renovation, the Sears retail outlet building located at 255 North Main in Logan became home to the City of Logan offices and the Logan Library. The building was the original Palais d'Or dance hall built in 1927. 23

   1987

  • ~ Bridgerland Literacy was started by VISTA (Volunteers In service to America). From 1988 to 2010 it was operated within the Logan Library.

   1989

  • ~ The highway through Logan Canyon was designated by the Forest Service as a National Forest Scenic Byway, making Logan Canyon one of the first routes so designated in the National Forest System. 20