By Julie Johansen
Photographer and videographer Ben Grimes presented a slideshow showing the past and present of Emery County during a historical society meeting on Thursday evening. He used his camera and drone to give a unique look at landscape and people of today and yesteryear. His love of the county and his hobby entertained and educated the society during its monthly meeting.
Grimes was born in Georgia but has called Emery County home for many years. His presentation included 14 short clips, starting with pictographs and petroglyphs from the ancient inhabitants of the county. He then spoke about the setters that came in the 1870s.
His videography took viewers from the Muddy to Ferron and onto the southeastern corner of the county and from north Elmo to Upper Joe’s Valley. Many of his pictures were from the Swell, specifically the Coal Wash area. The photographs of the mud balls and sea shells in the sand formations on the desert captivated the audience.
Grimes included several history lessons as his pictures were displayed on the screen. To capture present day Emery County, he had pictures from ranchers north of Elmo cutting and storing corn silage and others harvesting alfalfa hay.
Following his presentation, refreshments were served to the guests.
