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Show ! How Scenic Spot Was First Named In a very complete manuscript relating re-lating to the history of Zion National Park, just received at the office of the superintendent, A. M. Woodbury, park naturalist, traces in careful detail de-tail the manner in which the name "Zion" first came to be applied to the colorful canyon in Southern j Utah. His conclusions differ widely from commonly accepted versions of how the name came to be. According to facts uncovered bv Mr. Woodbury, the first white person, per-son, a man named Joseph Black, entered en-tered Zion canyon in the early summer sum-mer of 1861. Although engaged primarily pri-marily in hunting for agricultural land, Black also had time to notice the sublime scenery of tlje gorge. Hi3 tales of these wonders brought forth the first name by which the canyon was known 'Joseph's Glory.1 It was two years later, or in 1863 that three men went into the canyon can-yon to live, the first settlers in the main canyon. One of the men was j a deserter from the army, and the other two were typical western renegades. ren-egades. It was one of the latter, v man named Isaac Behunnin, who i; desTibd bv Woodburv as being s roneh old character, but very relie-iou' withal, who first started to call the canvon "Little Zion." It is related that Behunnin used tc i sit in front of h's cabin and lookins at the great walls, cut by side can I yons into great towers and moun tains, he would say, "why go to Z;ot (Salt Lake Citv) and worshio in i temple when we have God's own tern pies here? This is as much Zion a: S"lt Lake. We'll call it "Littb Zion." And by the name of Littb Zion it was afterwards known anions , the early settlers of Southern Utah In the commonly accepted versioi of the origin of the name, it is statei that the canyon was considered b' the pioneers as a place of refugi in case of Indian attack. It is : j well established fact that no Indiai ! will stay in the canyon between sun set and sunrise and for this reasoi the canvon would no do"bt have bee: an., ideal place for the purpose. How ever. Woodbury points out that i the Indian troubles of 1865, all th settlers moved into Rokville. whic is below the mouth of the coree. in stead of seeking refuge between it great walls. |