| Show Valuable Addition for Exhibit Zion National Park has recently received a a. Y very r valuable addition to ho historical exhibit which is a aI ap apart I p part art rt of its government mUS museum Um consisting of a fine fino tinted photograph photograph photograph photo photo- graph of Nephi Johnson discoverer of Zion Ion Canyon The picture was donated do do- by his son Nephi Johnson Jr of Circleville Utah It will l' form torm the nucleus of a pioneer exl exhibit being being being be- be ing planned by the park officials and together with a powder po horn which Nephi Johnson Jr has offered to dJona donate to in a short time will 1111 form ons 3 of the most outstanding and valuable exhibits in the museum It is planned to include with these objects a full explanation of tho the circumstances circumstances cir cir cir- cum surrounding the discovery discover r ry of ZIon Canyons Canons a u a. they were wore re ra- r related to park officials last summer by Nephi Johnson Jr He stated that his father rode into tho the canon can t in n November ember of 1858 spen-d spen spending the entire day rid rid-ng up the canyon is lS far as the location of the spring g known today as Zion Stadium SprIng ing He was in hi search of some irrigation ln water for the new settlements settle settle- ments in Utah's Dixie and d had made the to the mouth of Zion Canyon Canyon Can Can- yon Ol accompanied ed by several sever I Indian guides who refused to continue continue con con- i into nto the canyon itself because of a a superstition tion which they they- had They believed that an evil spirit fc ht h the canyon would enter I the b bears ra which then lived there in n small numbers and would cause the b bear to kill anyone anone going into halo the canyon can can- yon The They fully believed believe tl that Johnson John John- son would be killed and were mu mum muen n J when he returned to their camp near the junction of the Virgin Virn Vir Vir- gin n and Rivers River s very late in Ute the evening after his dig dig- i covery trip I Previous to the relation of the I above Incidents by Mr Johnson Jr there had been some confusion as asto to who was wag the first white man to enter the canyon and park officials and historians are aro pleased pIe to be able to state the true facts of the case at this time At present a collection collection collection tion of its has bas been accumulated and is in storage awaiting allotment of funds for building a n suitable museum but there are many gaps in the present collection and many facts still tobe to tobe tobe be learned which it is hoped will willbe willbe be in the near future in order to make the tho Zion historical exhibit Into one wh th will reflect reflect credit upon the entire State and faithfully portray p Utah pioneer life Ufe to the thousands of people who annually annually an an- visit Zion National Park |
