OCR Text |
Show - ,, V . :jt - ! . '4 ' I . " . - . - . " ' ... ..... . . ; , ' t , t-.. - , . , .j ' . ' - - , . " . . ' ' f- . . - " . ' " -' - ," ' "A hell of a place to lose a cow," the description early Tropic i resident Ebenezer Bryce gave the canyon. His quaint old ' cabin stands at the south end of town along highway. Tropic Lies Below Bryce Canyon Rim (A( TROPIC Picture this little-town little-town as it was in 1887 when it was called West Valley. Bunch grass, white sage and white greasewood covered its floor and a solitary log cabin stood on the south side of a small knoll near its center. The cabin belonged to William Pollock and not only his namesake, but descendants in the area of many other founders still bear the family names today the Ahlstroms, Meachams, Shakespears, Hendersons, Hen-dersons, Fletchers, Willises, LeFevres, and others. They're more than names to those who live in this little town where heritage means so much and where people today are not so far removed in time from those early pioneers that the memory of their I fortitude, hardships and determination deter-mination to carve out a suitable habitatoin in which to rear their families is not still honored and respected. A. J. Hansen was the founder of Tropic anits first LDS bishop! It was he, together with many others whose names are still heard in the community, who engineered and built the canal that brought water from the East Fork of the Sevier River (which is part of the Great Basin system) over the precipice of -Bryce into Tropic valley where it ultimately became a part of the Great Basin River drainage system. It was no small feat then, and it is the same water today which provides irrigation for the crops ana gardens grown where they have been growing since that day 90 years ago when water from the canal first flowed into some of the same ditches still in use today. It was cause for great celebration then as residents partied until daylight. day-light. It is cause for celebration now and residents remember "the day the water came"wilh an annual day of festivities ingratitude for the life-giving water to which the town owes its very existence. Some local Mormons, many of whom are descended from polygamous marriages of the early LDS Church, love to tell the'story of Summer 1989 .- .. , :..$. .. . .. . their polygamous great grandfather who spent the coldest night of his life between his two wives one winter one wife was in Tropic, the other 30 miles away in Panguitch and he was stuck in between up on the East Fork where he "darned near froze to death!" The LDS Church is the center of activities in these largely Mormon-dominated Mormon-dominated corrtmunities. In Tropic, as in many similar small towns, the church is the most prominent building in town. It has shed its peaceful influence on the lives of the people and their families. Sundays are always quiet and uncommercial compared with big cities. Visitors are always welcome into their churches. With a name like Tropic, it's not surprising to see the fruit trees in bloom in late spring or laden with fruit in the summer and fall. Some of the first fruit trees in town were planted in the spring of 1893 when residents were able to trade horses for fruit trees which had been hauled : in by the wagon-load for the small towns .in the area. Recently residents have supported sup-ported a seedling tree planting project to replace some of the trees which have long since died, renewing their ancestors' love of trees. A beautiful new park in the center of town with its bright green lawn and hundreds of trees and bushes further show the love of Tropic's people for growing things. Visitors in August will be amazed at the lush gardens and pretty flowers throughout town. Ebenezer Bryce's old cabin stands at the south end of town alongside the highway. The early Tropic resident, for whom the jewel-like national park which dominates the western skyline was named, is remembered best for his pragamatic description of the mazelike maze-like canyon "a hell of a place to lose a cow!" |