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Show Trek Visits Remind Writer Of Need For Pioneer Village o By HORACE A. SORENSEN The recent Mormon Battalion trek reenaetment will be remembered for several reasons, but as I look back in retrospect, retro-spect, there is one thing which stands out as being a valuable thought for all Utahns. What Utah needs is an "Historical Centerpiece." Richard A. Lambert referred to it in his address at the Knott's Berry Farm on Friday, March 17. The replica of the western ghost town there was pointed out by Mr. Lambert as being similar to-what the Sons of Utah Pioneers had in mind for the old prison site. When we on the trek saw what drawing draw-ing power the ghost town had on tourists, we were convinced that Utah needed a similar attraction. Later, at Las Vegas, I was reminded of the same need when 1 visited the replica of a western village now being developed de-veloped by the Last Frontier Hotel. Every part of this village vil-lage is alive with activity of the old crafts and arts. 1 thought what a wonderful thing it would be to' develop at the prison site in Sugar House an historical park. The ground is already al-ready set aside as a state park, and it is just a matter of some vise planning to make a true replica of a Mormon pioneer village. The state park is ideally located to be an "Historical Centerpiece" Cen-terpiece" for Utah and the intermountain west. Thousands of tourists would be attracted to view early pioneer culture in village form. At the prison site they would also have an opportunity op-portunity to see replicas of Utah's scenic wonderlands, which would encourage the tourists to spend their vacation's here. Hah at present is just an overnight stop to most tourists. There is nothing to encourage them to vacation here, so they find places in other western states as their destinations. Other states are stealing the show from Utah. Our state is truly the cradle of western culture. There is no reason for Utah not having the finest portrayal of that culture through a Mormon village. If properly done, it would be far better even than the one at Knott's Berry Farm and the Western Village in Las Vegas. |