Show I I I II 7 t 4 1 1 a. a r J. J v a r r 4 k a rh t f'S f I Mg t t Y k h i i tl The Tho arrow In this aerial photograph of the Crossing of the Fathers shows the mouth of Padre Creek where a 11 brass plaque was placed In 1938 to commemorate the historic fordIng fording fording ford- ford Ing of 01 the Colorado River by the first white men In Utah Actual crossing took place downstream at the bend In the river over a n shallow sandbar See Utah campaign Crossing of the Fathers' Fathers played a significant part in the first chapter of Utah's history said D. D James Cannon director of or the Utah Tourist and Publicity Publicity Public Public- I ity Council The first white men to penetrate penetrate penetrate pene pene- the state were two SpanIsh Spanish Span Span- ish sh priests from Santa Fe Father Escalante and nod Father Dominguez who a small party of soldIers soldiers sold sold- lers and Indians crossed Utah in 1776 in search of a route to California While encamped in what later was to become Beaver Deaver County the Franciscan explorers gave up their search and Rhea ithen traveled travel travel- ed south and ond southeast looking for or a place to cross the steep- steep walled Colorado River After many hardships and weeks of searching Escalante's party made Its way down what later was to be nam named d Padre Padro Creek chipped steps out of th the sandstone walls wails to give their horses footing and eventually crossed the Colorado on November November November Novem Novem- ber 7 1776 1778 at the spot known today as Crossing of the Fath Fath- ers em The stone steps chipped by the Franciscan explorers are still visible about a mile up Padre Creek They too will be covered by the waters of Lake Powell A plaque at the mouth of Padre Creek commemorates the historic crossing The Fathers actually crossed the river a little downstream diagonally fording the stream over a shallow sandbar sand- sand bar jar The brass marker was erected in n 1938 by Dr Russell G. G Frazier Charles Kelly and Byron Davies three well-known well river runners Presumably It will be removed before water backs up to cover up the Crossing |