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By Rod Oldroyd
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Former Utah County resident John Huish and his wife were passing through his old stomping grounds of Springville one day recently when he immediately noticed the flag flying on the south end of town as he drove along Main Street. He is a very patriotic man and also noticed the condition of the pole and the flag that was flying on it.
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Huish contacted Colonial Flag Company of Salt Lake City and asked them for a bid to pay for the painting of this pole. They contacted the city offices to start the process of replacing the flag and painting the pole.
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In the end, Huish donated the entire amount of $7,000 to have the pole painted. The four days of intensive labor involved sanding, priming and painting the 110-foot steel pole. The only way to paint it was to climb it. A painter named Sterling was hired by Colonial Flag and completed the job. The pole was originally installed in 1979 through generous contributions from Springville citizens.
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John Huish and his twin brother Jim began their career when they started a miniature golf business at the old Park-Ro-She swimming pool property in Springville. John Huish now resides in California with his wife Kathy and is the owner of several fun centers and water parks in the West.
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John and Jim Huish are the sons of Mary Bird Huish and F.E. “Blackie” Huish. Mary Huish was born and raised in Springville and Blackie Huish was in business in the city many years ago as part-owner of Springville Floral. Margaret Bird Conover, sister of Mary Huish, was chairwoman of the Springville Shade Tree Commission, which was responsible for planting thousands of trees in Springville and also for erecting the large flag pole on the south end of Springville’s Main Street. Pipe for the flag pole was donated by Geneva Steel.
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In 1976, Heritage Park at 1100 N. Main in Springville was dedicated as part of the celebration of the USA’s 200th birthday. Jim, who is now deceased, donated funds to erect the flagpole in Heritage Park in honor of his mother.
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Jim Huish also donated funds to pay for shrubs and trees planted in Margaret Conover Park located at 600 E. 1000 South in Springville.
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What spectacle can be more edifying or more seasonable, than that of Liberty and Learning, each leaning on the other for their mutual and surest support? – James Madison
