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Show Panguitch • Panguitch Lake • Hatch • Bryce • Tropic • Antimony • Henrieville • Cannonville • Escalante • Boulder • Duck Creek Thursday, July 23, 2009 • Issue # 225 A LITTLE-KNOWN PIONEER MIRACLE It is surprising how many people in Utah know very little about one of the great stories from Utah history—the story of the Holein-the-Rock pioneers. One hundred and thirty years ago this October, some 250 undaunted Utahns answered a call and with faith set out on an “impossible journey” that took them through some of the most desolate and rough terrain on the North American continent. The Hole-inthe-Rock expedition, or San Juan Mission, as it came to be known, is the story ofMormon pioneers who answered a call to go to the Four Corners area of southern Utah to serve as a buffer between lawlessness and civilization. They settled Bluff and other surrounding communities in what is now San Juan County. An influx of white men—cattlemen looking for grazing land, miners from boom towns in southern Colorado, lawless elements seeking a place outside the grasp of the By Gerald Lund law—threatened to clash fortable homes and ran with the Native Americans successful businesses or in the area and engulf the farmed land much more whole southern part of the productive than where they territory in another Indian were going. Even more war. astonishing, they went as These intrepid Saints families. About one in five went forth not for money or personal gain. Unlike earlier pioneers, they were not fleeing persecution, nor seeking a place where they would find freedom of religion. This group lived in prosperous Mormon communities in com- WEATHER THURSDAY MOSTLY SUNNY HIGH: 90 LOW: 51 FRIDAY PARTLY CLOUDY HIGH: 91 LOW: 55 SATURDAY PARTLY CLOUDY HIGH: 88 LOW: 55 SUNDAY PARTLY CLOUDY HIGH: 87 LOW: 55 MONDAY PARTLY CLOUDY HIGH: 86 LOW: 55 TUESDAY PARTLY CLOUDY HIGH: 86 LOW: 54 WEDNESDAY MOSTLY SUNNY HIGH: 85 LOW: 54 of the company were children six years old or under. They went because they were called, and because they believed that call was from the Lord. They went because they believed it was necessary for the safety and good of the overall community. University of Utah historian David Miller wrote: “In all the annals of the West, replete with examples of courage, tenacity and ingenuity, there is no better example of the indomitable pioneer spirit than that of the Hole-in-the-Rock expedition of the San Juan Mission. No pioneer company ever built a wagon road through wilder, rougher, more inhospitable country, still one of the least-known regions in America. None ever demonstrated more courage, faith, and devotion to a cause than this group.” (Hole in the Rock, p. ix) They cut a wagon road across the Escalante desert to a cleft in the sheer rock face of the Colorado River gorge, which today overlooks Lake Powell. This narrow crevice, which they named the Hole in the Rock, descended through solid rock at a breathtaking 45to 50-degree angle. In order to descend through the narrowest part, they blasted out the side walls and used that material for fill for much of the rest of the 1,700-foot drop. About eighty wagons then plunged through the cleft down to the river below. Miraculously, not a wagon was lost and there were only minor injuries to animals and the pioneers. Although the Hole in the Rock was one of the most remarkable achievements of the company, and gave its name to their expedition, their challenges didn’t end there. They blasted and carved a wagon road through the hostile red rock country from the Colorado River all the way to the San Juan River. What was supposed to take only six weeks ended up taking six months. Three babies were born along the way. Miraculously, not a single life was lost. In the end, they accomplished their purpose. Today, thousands of their descendants trace their roots to Bluff and Blanding, Monticello and Montezuma Creek and other settlements, and their ancestry to these heroic pioneers. It is a remarkable story, and one that can lift and motivate us today to emulate their courage, their effort, their undaunted determination to do what needs to be done. As we celebrate Pioneer Day this year, as we remember those first companies that came to the Salt Lake Valley, then spread out to colonize the Great Basin, may we also remember these later pioneers of 130 years ago, and honor them for who they were and what they did. Gerald Lund is the author of several historical novels, including the series The Work and the Glory; the story of the Willie and Martin Handcart Companies, called Fire of the Covenant; and a series set in New Testament times, The Kingdom and the Crown. His soon to be released novel, The Undaunted, tells the story of the Hole-in-the-Rock pioneers. THE GARFIELD COUNTY INSIDER is owned and operated by Snapshot Multimedia and is distributed weekly to all of Garfield County. Its purpose is to inform residents about local issues and events. Articles submitted from independent writers are not necessarily the opinion of Snapshot Multimedia. We sincerely hope you enjoy the paper and encourage input on ideas and/or suggestions for the paper. Thank you for your support. MORE PERMITS AND MORE PLACES TO HUNT The DWR shares ideas for next spring’s turkey hunts. Every person who wants “Because one male will to hunt wild turkeys next breed several females, and spring could if ideas the Di- because female turkeys are vision of Wildlife Resourc- so productive, removing es is proposing for Utah’s males out of the population 2010 hunts are approved. will have little effect on the And you’d have more overall number of turkeys places to hunt turkeys than in Utah.” ever before. Olsen says the DWR is “Even though we’d be proposing the following for putting more hunters in the Utah’s 2010 hunts: field, we don’t think that A total of three hunts would have a negative ef- would be held. The first fect on Utah’s turkey popu- hunt would run April 10– lations,” says Dave Olsen, 29. Only a limited number upland game coordinator of permits would be availfor the DWR. “Each hunter able for the hunt, and the in Utah is restricted to tak- hunt would be held on a reing only one male turkey. gional basis. And female turkeys in the “The first hunt should be state are very successful at less crowded than the hunt reproducing.” in May because only 2,500 Learn more, share your permits would be offered ideas for it,” Olsen says. “Also, You can review all of the if you drew a permit for the DWR’s turkey hunting pro- April hunt, you wouldn’t posals online. Once you’ve be confined to hunting one read the proposals, you can specific area like you have share your thoughts and been in the past. Instead, ideas one of two ways: you could hunt an entire reRAC meetings gion.” Five Regional Advisory The second hunt would Council meetings will be be held April 30–May 2. held across Utah. Citizens This hunt would be a youth representing the RACs will hunt for hunters 15 years of take the input received at age and younger. Permits the meetings to the Utah would not be limited in Wildlife Board. Board number, and permits would members will use the input be available over the counto help them set rules for ter. Youth hunters could Utah’s 2010 turkey hunts. hunt anywhere in the state They’ll set those rules at that’s open to turkey hunttheir Aug. 19–20 meeting ing. in Salt Lake City. Youngsters who bought You can participate a permit for the youth hunt and provide your input at could also use the permit to the Southern Region RAC hunt during Utah’s general Meeting, July 28, 7 p.m., statewide hunt. That hunt Triple C Arena, 50 E. 900 would start May 3. N., Panguitch The third and final hunt Olsen says DWR bi- would be a statewide hunt ologists have watched and held May 3–31. Just like studied turkeys in Utah the youth hunt, there would closely for more than 20 be no limit on the number years. He says the biolo- of permits offered for the gists are comfortable al- hunt, and permits would be lowing more hunters into available over the counter. the field. Hunters of all ages could “Turkeys and other up- participate in the hunt. You land game birds reproduce could hunt anywhere in the at a high rate,” Olsen says. state that was open to tur“It’s not unusual for a sin- key hunting. gle male turkey to breed as For more information many as 10 females. And about the meetings, call the female turkeys are very nearest Division of Wildproductive. They usually life Resources office or the lay a clutch of between 10 DWR’s Salt Lake City ofto 12 eggs. fice at (801) 538-4700. A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon it adds up to real money. Senator Everett Dirksen Phone: 435-676-2621 Fax 435-836-2700 PO BOX 472, Loa, Utah 84747 snapshot@scinternet.net ALL content for THE GARFIELD COUNTY INSIDER must be submitted on FRIDAY BEFORE 5:00 PM to be included in the following Thursday edition of the paper. BOXHOLDER PRE-SORT STANDARD PAID LOA, UTAH PERMIT No. 5 |