Show bronze plaque to mark site of historic crossing after 59 years the famous hole in the wall wali crossing made by pioneers who left cedar city to colonize san juan county is to be commemorated A bronze plaque will be placed at the site of the crossing by the brigham young university zoological expedition tion perhaps there is no incident in the history of the settlement of southern utah where the sturdy mormon pioneers were forced to overcome greater difficulties than I 1 those who made the crossing ini in response to a call from brigham young to settle in what became the town of bluff fifty nine years ago men women and children from iron county 1000 head of cattle and 26 wagons left cedar city to settle san juan hindered by january snows and cold they moved slowly thru bear valley to panguitch widstoe and escalante then down the escalante river to the colorado river here they encountered the almost impossible task of a colorado river crossing at a point where it is bordered by almost perpendicular walls for miles in either direction the hole in the wall wal was selected as the only spot where a crossing could be made and the men set about cutting steps in the steep solid walls to afford a means of getting down the steps are still plainly visible according to river men and explorers who have visited the recent years it was necessary to dismantle the wagons and let them down over the cliffs with ropes piece at a time after which they were reassembled and ferried across the river and the pioneers continued through rough uncharted lands to their destination the hole in the wall crossing is one of the greatest evidences of mormon pioneer faith and devotion to cause written in the pages of utah history and should be marked with more than a bronze plaque it should become a state park if not a national park so that the evidences of this great pioneer feat may be preserved for future generations to see and know what pioneers faced to establish the commonwealth of utah southern utah news and views |