From Deseret News archives:

Each Utah marker has its own story

Published: Friday, July 23, 2004 7:43 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
DUP marker No. 1 — "Tooele Pioneers," 520 S. Main, Tooele

On Sept. 2, 1849, the first band of Mormon settlers arrived in the Tooele Valley. Although the area had been previously used as grazing ground for Ezra E. Benson's cows, these folks had come to stay.

Josiah Call, Judson Tolman and Samuel Mecham and their families spent the first night on a little ridge overlooking both the valley and the Great Salt Lake.

They went to Salt Lake for October conference but returned to Tooele, accompanied by John Rowberry, Phineas R. Wright, Cyrus Tolman, Orson Bravett and their families, as well as several other young boys.

Deciding the best place for a settlement was nearer the mouth of the canyon, closer to both wood and water, the little band constructed a seven-room log house. And Tooele was on its way.

In 1934, the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers' first official plaque honored these pioneers.

Dr. Emil B. Isgreen, who owned the land where the first campsite was located, had contacted the local DUP camp and offered to donate the land to the city if the DUP would erect a monument.

Story continues below
A "sturdy cement shaft on which had been floated copper concentrates, making it look like granite," was dedicated on Nov. 11, as part of the Armistice Day celebration. "It was a grand day with many speakers and musical numbers," according to local reports.

That monument stood for 66 years, but by the end of the century, it was badly in need of repair. So in 2000, the DUP camp replaced it.

The Broken Arrow Construction Co., under the direction of Stephen Bunn and Sid Hollinger, offered to bring in a huge boulder from its quarry on Stansbury Island. The original plaque was carefully removed from the old monument and remounted on the giant stone.

Words that were spoken at the first dedication were equally pertinent at the second, noted then-DUP president Ora Bridges: "As we gather the roses of their effort, never forget that the pioneers watered the bush with tears; sometimes of sorrow, sometimes of disappointment but always with a trust in God and a determination to win."

DUP marker No. 12 — "Last Camp Site," 5225 Emigration Canyon Road

As the shadows lengthened on the 23rd day of July 1847, a caravan of covered wagons arrived at a "broadening" of the canyon near Last Creek (now Emigration Creek) and set up camp formation.

Already most of the group had gone on to the valley ahead and, indeed, were already plowing and planting. But this small group, slowed by an ailing Brigham Young, had one more night on the trail.

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

Image

DUP marker No. 1, "Tooele Pioneers," marks the spot Tooele settlers camped.

Related content
previousnext

Latest comments

and no child should have to put up with sexual abuse. I know. I was abused...

So.. Government would run health care. Government option would keep others...

Good luck boys, take state for the south. Let it all go on the cold field....

LDS Church, BSA in abuse lawsuit

I have been involved with Scouting for over 40 years and still believe it is...

Letters: Founders not extremists

To another quiz: I just took the quiz, it is very informative. I am pretty...

MLS working toward new CBA

is long long over due...playoff between the top 8 in the league, and no silly...

That was not very good to say. Cant spell Hurricane becouse you dont live...

But did you notice Joanna did the same thing last week and still received...

MWC expand? Get rid of deadweight

Funny- Fox sports top 25 power rankings Week 11. #4 TCU #9 Boise State...

Boy, are we working hard to sell this or what? THe 45,000 homes thing is a...

Advertisements
Advertisement