I f the nineteenth century had been the pioneer era in Sanpete County's history, the first decades of the twentieth century brought a new period of maturity and modernity with the completion of town water systems, the arrival of electricity, telephones, and the automobile. A network of roads emerged, and local politics took on a more national character as candidates of the national Republican and Democratic parties vied for local and state offices. Community organizations, such as the Lions Club, American Legion, and Women's clubs, appeared and helped to break down some of the remaining barriers that grew out of religious and ethnic differences. Above all, the experience in national and international events such as World War I, the Great Depression, the New Deal, and World War I1 showed that Sanpete County's future was tied to that of the nation and the rest of the world.
Water, Electricity, and Telephones As livestock grazing on the Wasatch Plateau became more common, Manti residents realized the health hazard posed by their open
