Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, said Tuesday, "The creation of this heritage area means a great deal for Utah. This area will honor the brave men and women who, 150 years ago, began a remarkable adventure that continues to this day."

Gary Anderson, former mayor of Ephraim and director of Utah State University's extension in Sanpete County, worked for two years to lobby for the heritage-area bill.

"This will be a real boost to the heritage tourism to this part of the state," he said Tuesday. "We can now use national parks insignia for our signage, which will help authenticate in a tourist's mind the place they are visiting."

Monte Bona, a Mount Pleasant city councilman and executive director of the Utah Heritage Highway Alliance, said he was "happy, delighted and grateful" that the bill passed, after a six-year lobbying effort by local officials.

The Great Basin National Heritage Route between Delta and Ely was pushed primarily by Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., but also co-sponsored by Bennett and Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.

Legislation creating it said it is worthy of designation in part to help tell the story of Mormon settlements in the area, as well as mining, the Pony Express Route, the Overland Stage Route and even the Topaz internment camp for Japanese-Americans during World War II near Delta.

Several publications, such as National Geographic and Life magazines, have called U.S. 50 west from Delta the "loneliest road in America." The designation could help build tourism for communities along it.

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Contributing: Suzanne Dean

E-mail: lee@desnews.com