AMERICAN FORK — Like the mill towers that inspired the name, the moniker for the city's annual community celebration has come tumbling down.
"Steel Days" has lost its tinsel strength and will give way to "American Days" starting next year, a title celebration officials say is intended to honor the city itself.
Reaction to the change was mixed among city residents who responded with emotions ranging from disapproval to "it's time to move on."
"Anytime there's a change there will be people who are not up to the change," Steel Days Committee Chairman Kelly Sobotka said.
The feedback he has received has been mostly positive, he added.
"We knew it would come with opposition," said Kristin Chipman, a non-voting member of the committee.
The new name approved by the celebration committee came about a week after the towers of financially plagued Geneva Steel — which has effectively been out of the steelmaking business for several years — came down. Steel Days has been a fixture for 60 years.
"We struggled for several years on a name change," Sobotka said.
That struggle ended this year when committee members finally found common ground, he said. And they didn't have to look far.
American Fork is the largest city in the country with "American" in its name, he added. Committee members decided to use that theme for future city celebrations.
The celebration, which dates to 1865, was named Steel Days in 1945 when Columbia Steel provided economic strength to the community. The mill provided jobs for thousands of Utah County residents over the years, including generations of workers, Sobotka said.
"(Older folks) are emotional about the steel mill. With the mill gone it was time to change the name," he said. "The steel mill plays no role at all (in the local economy)".
Through the years the city celebration had three other names that kept in step with the times, Timber Day, Liberty Day and Poultry Days.
An area resident for some 20 years, Brian Morris reacted with disappointment.
"Why change it?" he asked.
"There's too much freaking patriotism," his friend, Chris Boyd said, referring to the folks in charge as "fair-weather patriots."
"You didn't hear jack squat out of them until 9/11," he said.
He suggested alternative names, including Russian Olive Days, in observance of the Russian olives that perfume the American Fork air in spring.
"They're (the committee) like consultants. They're creating work for themselves," Morris responded. "They're keeping themselves busy. It's dumb to change the name."
"I don't think they should change it," said Kristian Bryant, a former resident now living in Layton. "It's too close to the 4th of July, which is an American day."
"I think it's a good idea," said David Gough, an American Fork resident for five years who admitted to not having a long history in the town. "It's time," he said. "Geneva (steel mill) towers are down, and it's time to move on."
Molly Wiggins, 13, who attended Steel Days events with her friends, said she sees no reason for keeping the name. Steel as an economic force in the area was already dying out when she was born.
"It doesn't represent anything," she said.
E-mail: rodger@desnews.com