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Show JT I tie Valley Pageant scheduled the call of the Prophet $ (Young, thousands of ! Icolonized settlements A the west from 1847-1877. j h Annual Castle Valley J"" be presented Aug. 6, 7, 8 r'" Castle Dale, brings to I ;ain the story of a few of J leers in an authentic ) )f their challenges and ii and the faith . that them in hardship and , Lai pageant is ujnique in duplicate early pioneer i fii'and lifestyles. It is the Church pageant that j (jjlfrses, cattle, buggies and igons. The set includes (ffljtic dugout, log cabin, ee and stable. Taped Ufccompaniment in the w' is played on the avorites instruments -nica, fiddle and ac- I J on a rocky hillside overlooking the magnificent scenery of Castle Valley, the terrain, itself, is the same as that traveled by the pioneers in their trek from Sanpete and finally coaxed into fertility through irrigation and back-breaking hard work. It was in August 1877 that Brigham Young issued the call to the saints in Sanpete to settle Castle Valley. It was the last such call he would make, for he died seven days later. There is a tale that the letter calling for the settlement of Castle Valley was posted on the church door so everyone who could read came to what is now Emery County, presumably leaving the illiterate behind. In reality, it was the hardy and adventurous who answered the call to pull up barely established roots and begin lives anew in Castle Valley. Once again there were homes to build, cities to establish, canals and ditches to dig and farms to make fertile. Perhaps' it was the women who suffered most, as they left their established homes in Sanpete to live in dugouts along the creeks in Castle Valley. One is reported to have said in dismay, "Has it come to this, that I must live in the ground?" Told with understanding and sympathy for their struggles, respect for their religious beliefs and even some humor, the pageant is based on fact and written in the vernacular of the pioneers. A traditional Emery County lamb fry and pioneer arts fair is held each day of the pageant at Castle Dale City Park from 4-8 p.m. The pageant begins at dusk and admission is free. Visitors are advised to bring wraps for the cool mountain evenings. For more information call 801-748-2847. |