[5] 18 September 1776 The Dominguez–Escalante Expedition came from the east where they crossed Blue Bench and descended into the valley north of the present-day town of Duchesne.

"During the winter of 1901 - 02, he (Thomas) hauled supplies from Heber to the now Duchesne area, to the sheep herd camp of John E. Austin, a brother-in-law.

Together with three herders, Mr. Thomas tended sheep on the West bench (D-hill) near the (Theodore) cemetery site.

Seguesee Jack (Ute tribe leader) refused settlers (sheep herders) permission to trespass the village site.

A month later, President Theodore Roosevelt approved the selections and declared these lands reserved as townsites.

On 28 August, the US government opened up the Uintah Basin to settle land they had acquired from the Ute Indians under the allotment act of 1891.

Sixty people, 46 adults and 14 children, settled on the townsite that is now Duchesne and called it by its first name, "Elsie" (Glen).

Judge M. M. Smith recalls, "One man asked me to write out a relinquishment for him, remarking, 'I must either give up my claim or my wife.

The flooding continued annually until 1910[9] when $5,000 was finally given to make the four river cut-offs needed to fix the problem.

With the flooding of the rivers every spring, the Boosters club was finding it hard to attract people and business to the "muddy" little town.

The Boosters Club raised $500 to build a bridge across the Strawberry River at the mouth of Indian Canyon.

In 1908 A. M. Murdock took down the tent and built the first store, barber shop, and post office, the "Pioneer Supply".

A photograph dated 1909, showing the A. M. Murdock Pioneer Supply Store and post office at Theodore, Utah (which was located approximately where Kohl's Market stood in Duchesne in 1991) appeared in a postal history magazine in 1992.

Native stands of cottonwood trees and willows grow along the river banks, while sagebrush and rabbitbrush fill the unirrigated bench tops.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.5 square miles (6.5 km2), all land.

The current catch and release state record[15] for walleye and Utah chub are held at Starvation.

The High Uintas wilderness area is 30 miles (48 km) to the north and boasts great camping, hiking, and fishing.

Duchesne sits at the junction of three wildlife management units and is home to world-class big game hunting.

[16] Duchesne Municipal Airport (Airnav U69)[17] is located 2 miles (3 km) northeast of the town on the Blue Bench.

Runway edge lights are medium intensity available from dusk - dawn, activate MIRL RY 17/35 & PAPI 17/35 - CTAF.

The proposed Uinta Basin Rail project would build a new railroad line into Duchesne for transporting oil drilled in the area.

On May 17, 1931, Duchesne High School held a graduation ceremony for four students that composed the first senior class.

The women's drill team named the Talons has won fifteen (2004-2018) consecutive state championships.

Duchesne city is located in vast oil and natural gas reserves spanning the northeast corner of Utah and extending into western Colorado.

Although reserves are vast, oil production is stifled to almost 50% of capacity by a lack of transportation of the paraffin-rich crude.

Currently (2019), a study is being conducted on the feasibility of a rail line passing through Duchesne to allow transport of the crude to bigger markets.

The vast amount of federally owned and leased lands have given cattle and sheep ranchers good grazing for over 120 years in the area.

Thousands are drawn during warmer months to enjoy boating on Starvation Reservoir, fishing on the Strawberry and Duchesne rivers, and camping in the High Uintas.