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Show City Was Carved By Courage Zy DOROTHY O. REA SAN BERNARDINO, CALIF. most incredible six years in the of this valley was carved by the courage of a few hundred Mormon settlers. They did the impossible, journalists of the day wrote after the Saints were called back to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake in lSAT-.residence here, In their brief the Saints built two schools, a council house, store buildings, roads, an irrigation system, a gristmill, library and homes. They established a stage and post line and set up Pony Express service. They set out orchards and vineyards. They had lumber, wheat, butter, eggs, poultry, fruit and to sell to people in Los Angeles. There are many mementos here to remind San Bernardino of historic beginnings. There's Hunt's Lane, named for tllllimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiliili Cap tain Jefferson Hunt, a stalwart of The six-ye- veg--etabl- Mormon the Mormon Battal- ion, who returned to California and became known as the father of San Bernar- dino County. There are monuMIlliliHtiiiiHiiiiiiiiiniitiiib ments to the memory erf Amasa M. Lyman and Charles C. Rich, both apostles, who were set apart as special missionaries to direct the companies of Mormons who would go to establish the colony in California. President Brigham Young was surprised that 437 volunteers answered the call to go to fan Bernardino. They had their wagons and animals ready for the journey by February, 1851. The first two companies of Mormons were led by Capt. Jefferson Hunt and Capt. David Seeley. They came into the valley by way of Cajon Pass and set up temporary quarters in Sycamore Grove. This was the headquarters of the settlement from June until September, 1251. Andrew Lytle, after whom Lytle Creek is named, brought his company over the mountains and followed the creek down. The creek plays its part in the story of the The grist mill, built by the Mormons in 1852, was one of the first structures in San Bernardino. gold rush days. It gave more than $1 mil-- ' lion in nuggets and dust. On July 5, 1851, the Los Angeles Star reported: We learn that they (the Mormons) are negotiating for the purchase of the Rancho de San Bernardino from the family of Don Antonio Maria Lugo, by whom it is held. This is the site of the old mission of San Bernardino. Here, probably, this interesting people will make their first on the shores of the establishment Pacific." Lugo and his three sons purchased the huge tract for $800 in hides and tallow in 1842. On Feb. 7, 1851, the property (35,500 acres) was deeded to the Mormons. Terms called for the saints to pay $77,500 total with a ' $20,000 down payment. Apostles Lyman, Rich and Parley Pratt took the steamer, Goliath, up the coast to San Francisco to get financial help from their friends. The settlers lived first in the pioneer fort they built. According to a history of Jefferson Hunt written by Pauline Udall Smith, The site for the city of San Bernardino was laid out and surveyed by H. G. Sherwood, who had done the same for Salt Lake City, of which San Bernardino was a miniature. The city was one mile square with large blocks containing eight acres and wide steets bordered by irrigation ditches. Good Mormon names were given the streets. Charles C. Rich , . first mayor . The streets, later changed to letters of the alphabet, carried such names as Far West, Nauvoo, Independence, California, Salt Lake, Utah, Grafton and Kirtland. San Bernardino was incorporated in April, 1854, with Charles C. Rich as first mayor. Except for a bowery, the first public building was the council house, built in the area which today includes the centers of city and county government. When the Saints were called back to Utah at the time of the arrival of Johnstons army, they left their growing city (more than 3,000) out of debt and free to play the historic role it has played in the annals of Southern California. LINE ON YOUTH Duty To God Awards Given To 10 Idahoans SALMON, IDAHO Duty to God Awards were presented to members of the Aaronic Priesthood in Salmon 1st Ward, Salmon River Stake, Idaho, by Bishop Wilnier Rigby. Those receiving the awards were Mike Smith, Doyle Stokes, Kent Allen, Jed Stokes, John Anstin, Gary Allen, David Stoddard, Kerri Cheney, Vaughn Stokes and Larry Weeks. In order to get the award, the young men must have received the Aaronic Priesthood certificate of achievement for four years, lived a clean life and be at least First Class Boy Scouts. 10 COLUMBIA, S.C. Harmon Killebrew, Minnesota Twins baseball star, and his son, Cameron, recently visited the Pioneer Trail on Big Mountain where pioneers locked iheir wheels with pine logs for the steep descent toward Salt Lake Valley. Mr. Killebrew, a 1966 convert to the Church, wos in Salt Lake City with his wife, Elaine, to have their five children sealed to them in the Salt Lake Temple. WEcK ENDING JANUARY. 11, 1969 Four years of perfect attendance at seminary classes. That is the outstanding record of Shirley Jensen in Columbia, S.C. Shirley also served as student body president of the Columbia Area seminary classes, was an honor student and held other offices. She is the daughter or Mr. and Mrs. Keith A. Jensen, Columbia Ward, South Carolina Stake. |