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Show Panguitch Abounds With History Sites i I PANGUITCH Historical sites I abound in Panguitch, the county "" seat of Garfield County located on U. S. 89. Its rich pioneer history flavors everything about the city. The city was first settled in the spring of 1864 and the hardy little band of pioneers at once began to till the soil and plant the seed they had brought with them. Their crops failed to mature, working a severe hardship on the little group of people who were very poor. They had only one yoke of oxen to about every three families. That first winter was long and extremely cold. The snow was deep and the settlers were desperately des-perately in need of flour. The closest flour mills were in Gunnison, Gun-nison, 115 miles to the north, and Parowan, 40 miles to the east over Oa road that was impassable six months of the year. Seven brave men decided to try to make it to Parowan over that road, called the Bear Valley Road even today, and is now designated Utah Highway 20. In severe storms to-day, it can be impassable except to vehicles equipped with chains. Those seven men left the little settlement of Panguitch with two yokes of oxen and a light wagon but had to abandon both at the head of Bear Valley and proceed on foot The only progress they could make was by laying down a quilt, walking walk-ing to the end of it, then laying down another, retrieving the first. In this slow and painful manner, they finally made it to Parowan. Their "quilt walk" is a central part of Panguitch pioneer history today, and remembered with a special float in each Pioneer Day parade. The little settlement was abandoned in 1866 when Indians became too hostile, but it was settled again in 1871 with a few returning and new members added to their number. They found their buildings just as they had left them and began to add new structures. A few of those very early buildings may still be found in town. The beautiful brick homes were built from bricks made in Panguitch. Industry of all types began to develop because the need was there. There was a grist mill, a tannery, boot and shoemakers, cabinetmakers, cabinet-makers, pottery makers, tombstone artists, brick and stone masons, carpenters and builders and all the crafts that make the city grow. Settlers made their own yeast, their soaps, their dyes. When sheep herds passed through the area, women would follow and pick the wool off the weeds and bushes, card it and spin it, and knit stockings according to"Goldcn Nuggets of Pioneer Days." Panguitch has changed over the years, but many of the residents still carry the names of its early settlers and have worked hard to retain its pioneer flavor and cherish their pioneer heritage. |