Department of Cultural and Community Engagement. Division of Arts and Museums. Folk Arts Program. Carbon County Project, 1979-1988.

Carbon County is known as an outpost of ethnic diversity in Utah. The initial folklife survey of folklife conducted by Sam Beck was expanded by other field workers including Hal Cannon, Mark Cantor, Carol Edison and Larry Jones. Several artists were presented at a mini folk festival (Carbon County Folklife Festival) during the Utah Arts Festival in Salt Lake City in the summer of 1979. Subsequent fieldworkers explored in depth the traditions of four families (Carbon County Four Families) of different backgrounds who live in Carbon County. Four folklorists, Hal Cannon, Alicia Gonzales, Richard March and Steve Siporin collected materials and wrote essays on these traditions. They worked with the Fame Price family of Mormon ranchers, New Mexican Johnny Whelan and his family, Slovenian button box accordionist Tony Kokal, Jr. and his family, and the Italian Nick family. Later David H. Stanley augmented the study by expanding it to include a wider spectrum of folk and ethnic traditions found in Carbon County, especially among the Japanese community. The series includes various media and documents related to the project. in Carbon County, especially among the Japanese community. The series includes various media and documents related to the project.