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Show Special Mormon Miracle Pageant Supplement Page 10 Local legend tells of ancient prophet's dedication of temple hill According to legend, two and dedicated this piece of land for prophets selected the Manti a Temple site, and that is why the Temple site. LDS Church Presi- location is made here, and we can't dent Brigham Young, on his first move it from this spot; and if you visit to the settlers of Sanpete in and I are the only persons that August 850, pointed to the Manti come here at high noon today, we Temple Hill and prophesied that a w ill dedicate this ground." The prophet Moroni, according temple would one day be conto LDS belief, carried the records structed there. On the morning of April 25, of his people across the continent 1877, before he dedicated the as they fought a final battle before ground for the building of a temple they were exterminated by the anon that same hill that day in pub- cestors of today's American Indilic services, President Young ans. Moroni buried these records, 1 asked Warren R. Snow to accompany him to the spot. At the hill, Young told Snow : "1 lere is the spot where the Prophet Moroni stood on golden plates, near Palmyra, New York. They later were translated and became the Book of jlA AA t I , i.4vA';r--A-.- i BEAUTIFUL VIEW - Temple Hill i cr:yv--. cj ;:wr '. ; vV' Yzr'-- 'L . ' is shown against the backdrop of the beautiful Sanpete Valley. Years of work by the of this early settlers valley have changed it from desert to green farmland. Photo courtesy of Richard Dee Olsen. Early settlement of Manti rich with stories of courage, unity and hope Brigham Young has earned the respect ofhistorians as a master Under the direction of Isaac Morley, a company of 224 men, colonizer. No sooner had the Saints put tentati e roots into the parched soils of the Salt Lake Valley than they were plucked up and transplanted elsew here. Such was the group who answered the call to settle in a alley called Sampeech after a brother ot the infamous Ute chieftain. Walker. women and children left Salt Lake CityonOctober28, 1849 and spent the next month cutting and carving a w agon trail to the chosen site on the south side of a limestone spur. Visualize, ifvou will, this hill as it must hae appeared before it 1 y temple hill. was known as Where there are now manicured J3rCr,r r , : 'I . lawns and shrubs, sparse grasses and clumps of rabbit bush grew, their green interrupted by the grey of sagebrush in the more fertile spots. In place of carefully tended beds of pansies and geraniums, Indian paintbrush and wild Sweet William nodded with the canyon breezes. The few tourists here then w ere passing Utes or Paiutes who may have taken advantage of a natural observation point. In the endless hours between human visitors, only rabbits, lizards, or an occasional coyote traversed this mound. The native flora and fauna were subject to a centuries-ol- d ' cycle. Winters saw snowdrifts forming on the lee of the hill as the predominantly south winds scoured the crest. In the early spring, mule deer searched for the first grasses across the bare slopes. As the summer sun dried out the f-- soil, the grasses quickly went to seed and withered. By late November, this hill was quiet and colorless. Thus it must have appeared to a group of tired pioneers in 1 849 when their leader indicated that this place was now home. in Some dug caught them shallow caves into the south face of that limestone hill, where thev were partially protected from the northerly blasts and benefitted from w hat little w armth the w inter sun provided. Others tried the winter in dwellings constructed only of canvas and the tipped-u- p r J k ON THE MOVE - This volunteer is transporting ice into the Manti Tabernacle where it will be used to keep food cold and fresh, ready for the thousands of people who, over the course of the Pageant, will consume more than 15,000 dinners. uXlXDXDXfflXPl 1 boxes of their wagons. Their estock suffered too, for the deep, li i 1 That winter, the most severe the memory of local Indians, 1 1 1 1 Vi i i m 1 1 crusted snow concealed the scanty grass; and in spite of all efforts, less than half the cattle sur ied the winter. Tenacity and necessity, MINGLING MORONI - Cast member portraying the mortal Moroni mingles with the crowd prior to that night's performance at 9:15 p.m. combined w ith a respect for their calling proved strong forces, howe er, and the follow ing spring the settlers emerged and began to build a town. The name Manti was selected from the Book of Mormon and officially approved Young, who also revised Sampeech to Sanpete, the name the valley and county' bear today. by Brigham These first, hardy settlers contended w ith long w inters, and capricious frosts. battled rattlesnakes which They issued from the limestone hills in hundreds that first spring; and Indians who, displaced and increasingly outnumbered, ented their frustration in constant harassment. Significantly, this was not an isolated scenario. During the colonization period, the same story was enacted in scores of sister settlements throughout this valley and much of the Great Basin. To others of the westward movement, homesteading in the lush valleys and more hospitable climatesofCalifomiaand Oregon, the valleys of Utah might have seemed unlikely sites for successful communities. Yet, it was because the Mormons were already a community that they succeeded. A shared history, religious conviction, and spirit of obedience brought success where others may have failed. . Ml. Pleasant City invites you to celebrate "Pioneer Pride " IHhmb City Days Thursday, July 3 Getting into the Spmt - Extended School Year Student Presentation - "Proud to be an American ' Friday, July 4 Fun for the family - Hospital Foundation Breakfast (7 to 10 a m ) Children's Parade (11am) "Pioneer Pride" Parade (11 30 a m ) Celebration at the Park (12 30 to 4 p m ) VFWHambu'-geSales. PTACamival PioneerGames. Cow Pie Tossing Contests, Scout Obstacle Course. Ann Wrestling, etc Sanpete Community Theatre Program ( 1 to 3 p m ) Backhoe Rodeo (4pm) Rodeo (8pm) Fireworks Display (10 pm) Saturday, July 5 Games for the competitive - One Pitch Coed Softball, Golf Tournament, Tennis Tournament and more Rodeo events1 Sunday, July 6 In celebration of our pioneer hentage- - Freedom rally "Faith in Every Footstep of the Utah Pioneers (North Sanpete High School at 7 p m ) Lynn A Mickelsen of the First Quorum of the Seventy, special musical numbers by Wasatch Academy Bell Choir and local children's choir. semi-dese- rt rmTirn ri The Snow College Music Department presents The First Annual (Tazz F&diu&t July 7 kJwfak&p through for information contact 12 1997 801-283-74- J are. about the jazz workshop at Dr. Mark Ammons c 66 ftsiivm conctPi ftniupino h BRIDJJ BOB TAYLOR TRUMPET RICH DIXON GUITAR DAN WALDIS KEYBOARDS JIM STOUT BASS JAY LAWRENCE, DRUMS AND VIBES Saturday, July 12, 1997 7:00 p.m. West of Badger Stadium ADVANCED TICKETS GO ON SALE SAT., JUNE 28 AT 10 AM. BY CALLING CTraxtxaxrriTrrrrTrn-mriTTrnTrrrrr.-.-rr- r; Whose xi:n:i: f strong bones and healthy bodies. Even those flashing smiles You don't actually believe they got all 7 that from chugging on a sports bottle, do you June Dairy Month |
