This twelve by fourteen foot granary This been used by three families as a home for over 40 years. It was built by George and Annie Isom around the same time Hurricane was settled, in 1906.
Located on the Isom lot at 83 North State Street and initially intended as a granary to store feed for farm animals, it originally served as “home” to Lewis and Mary Crawford. Their first child, a girl, was born here. Lewis worked for the Canal Company as a “ditch” rider to watch for breaks in the canal or other potential problems.
The Isom family moved into their “home” in 1911. After their new brick home was built on the same lot, they began using this building as a storage unit. Their daughters used it as a play house for several years. Its interior walls had been papered with the Washington County newspapers, needle craft pages, and Farm Journal pages.
Years later, 1936, this granary was sold to Sheldon and Blanche Wright, a newly married couple. They moved the granary five blocks to 274 West and 100 North, by team and a flatbed wagon. A lean-to, which would be their kitchen and pantry, was added to this new site. The house was wired for electricity, papered, painted, and floor coverings laid. The cupboards and most of the furniture in the house were made by Sheldon.
The original front room was used as a combination bedroom and living room. In the summer, their two daughters would sleep outside under the grape arbor which was connected to the house. The kitchen stove is the original used by the Wright family.
The Wright’s two last children, a boy and a girl, were also born in this house.
The Wright family continued to live in the house until July of 1948. They then moved into their newly constructed home on the same lot. This building was again used for storage and remained as a granary until 1994. It was then donated by the Wright family to the Hurricane Valley Pioneer Heritage Park Foundation. Now on display at “Pioneer Corner,” it is an authentic example of early pioneer life in the Hurricane Valley.
The white arrow shows this house in 1907 at its original location in the valley.
This is located at the Heritage House Pioneer Center / Heritage Park / Museum at the Bradshaw House-Hotel at 85 South Main Street in Hurricane, Utah.
In the early days of Hurricane and other southern Utah towns, sorghum cane was a primary crop that was grown to have its juice made into sorghum. Besides being used locally by most families as a sweetener, thousands of gallons of sorghum were taken by Dixie fruit peddlers to the towns farther north to sell for cash or use as “barter” to obtain other goods necessary for family needs. Money was very scarce or nonexistent.
Many families would raise a patch of sorghum cane which was planted in May, irrigated, and cultivated regularly throughout the summer. In the fall when the sorghum cane was fully mature, it would be cut, its red seed tassels topped off, and then hauled by horse-drawn wagons to one of the several sorghum mills nearby. This cane grew to be about ten feet in height and one inch in thickness with joints every ten to twelve inches.
The juice was squeezed out by inserting the cane stalks into the roller press of the mill, as you see displayed before you. The power for this mill was provided by a horse connected to a long pole. The rollers in the mill turned as the horse walked around in a circle.
The juice was caught in buckets and then poured into large, metal troughs over a hot fire. The next step was to boil the juice, a long process, until enough water evaporated for the syrup to reach the desired thickness. Making good molasses was an art and highly appreciated.
It could take up to sixty gallons of juice to make six gallon cans of sorghum. Farmers could obtain about one-hundred gallons of sorghum per acre of sorghum cane.
The tassels of seeds, topped from the cane stalks, were used to make flour or as feed for chickens and livestock. Enough seeds would always be saved for the next year’s planting. The cane, after the juice was extracted, was called “bagasse” and was used as a feed for livestock or as fodder to bed down animals.
None of the sorghum was wasted. Even the scimmings, which had been continually skimmed off the top of the boiling juice, were put into a barrel and became “dessert” for the cattle.
Dixie Sorghum was a life-saver for the early Pioneers of southern Utah. This sorghum served as a sugar substitute for most families.
This is located at the Heritage House Pioneer Center / Heritage Park / Museum at the Bradshaw House-Hotel at 85 South Main Street in Hurricane, Utah.
“The History” The First wagons crossed the Mississippi River from Nauvoo, Illinois on February 4, 1846. The untimely winter departure became necessary due to the mob violence against the Mormons’ farms, homes and families. As they departed and began their trek to the west, they were subjected to gale-force winds, torrential rain, axle-deep mud, freezing temperature and snow.
The Saints faced an epic journey of 1,300 miles to an unsettled territory far away in the west. Some were farmers, and many were city dwellers from the eastern United States and Great Britain, experienced in valuable trades, but unfamiliar with the skills of harnessing horses, oxen and mules, driving wagons, herding livestock, or foraging for food on a long trek.
Through much work, sacrifice and prayer, and guided by the hand of God, the first faithful Saints under the leadership of Brigham Young completed their journey west, arriving in the Great Salt Lake Valley over a three-day period between July 22 and July 24th, 1847. Tens of thousands more followed in their footsteps to settle their promised land in the Rocky Mountains.
To these early pioneers whom we love, honor and cherish, may your names be forever remembered; and may we who inherit your legacies never forget your sacrifices, your values, your vision, and your magnificent accomplishments.
“The Prophecies” Joseph Smith, the founding prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), is shown here standing next to Brigham Young, his successor, on the banks of the Mississippi River near Nauvoo, Illinois. Brigham is holding a map showing the westward trek of the Latter-day Saints that Joseph had seen in a vision. Before Joseph’s death, he prophesied about the relocation of the Saints to the Rocky Mountains, and he and Brigham conversed many hours on the subject. “My people shall become a numerous and mighty host in the vastness of the Rocky Mountains,” Joseph Smith said. Other Saints were also privileged to hear Joseph’s prophecies concerning the prospective exodus:
“Joseph Smith said, ‘Now I will show you the travels of this people.’ He then showed our travels through Iowa and said, ‘Here you will make a place for the winter and here you will travel west until you come to the valley of the Great Salt Lake. You will build cities to the north and to the south and to the east and to the west and you will become a great and wealthy people in that land.” –Mosiah Hancock
‘Joseph Smith, just before he was killed, made a sketch of the future home of the Saints in the Rocky Mountains and their route … to that country as he had seen it in a vision. Levi Hancock drew a copy of that map … and told them that there were four copies of that map taken; one of which Brigham Young kept and one that was carried by the Mormon Battalion by which they knew where to find the Church and Salt Lake Valley.” –Oliver Huntington
“While he (Joseph Smith) was talking, his countenance changed to … a living, brilliant white. He seemed absorbed in gazing at something at a great distance and said, ‘I am gazing upon the valleys of those mountains. Oh the beauty of those snow-capped mountains!’” Anson Call
SUP Attribution Plaque “The blessings of the Most High will rest upon our tabernacles and our name will be handed down to future ages. Our children will rise up and call us blessed and generations unborn will dwell with peculiar delight upon the scenes we have passed through, the privations that we have endured, the untiring zeal that we have manifested, (and) the insurmountable difficulties that we have overcome in laying the foundation of a work that brought about the glory and blessings which they will realize – a work that God and angels have contemplated with delight for generations past, that fired the souls of the ancient patriarchs and prophets – a work that is destined to bring about the destruction of the powers of darkness, the renovation of the earth, and the glory of God, and the salvation of the human family.” Joseph Smith May 2, 1842 Nauvoo, Illinois
This “Eyes Westward” statue was erected by the Sons of Utah Pioneers and is a replica of a statue standing on the banks of the Mississippi River in Nauvoo, Illinois.
“Pioneering Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” July 2008 * Monument #140
Sculptor Attribution Plaque Eyes Westward Sculptor Dee Jay Bawden
Constructed in 1875-77, the Wellsville Relief Society Meetinghouse is a one-story cross-wing building with gable roofs and stucco exterior walls. It is locally significant as the center of activities for the women’s organization of the LDS Church. By the early twentieth century, Relief Society rooms started to be included in the main church building, making these independent structures obsolete. Although owned for many years by the LDS Church, it has been used as a residence throughout much of its history.
Sesquicentennial Mormon Trail Wagon Train (150 Years) Winter Quarters, Nebraska to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake April 21, 1997 to July 22, 1997.
On a cold rainy morning in April 1997, modern day pioneers left Florence, Nebraska, the old Winter Quarters, to re-enact the migration of Mormon Saints 150 years earlier. Ten thousand participants would take part along the trail, from the banks of the Missouri River to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake. The journey of wagons, handcarts, outriders and walkers would take three months and traverse over one thousand miles. The trek was a commemoration of sacrifices, joys and was a testament to the honor and greatness of those who went before. Upon arriving in the valley, a glorious welcome awaited as 50,000 emotional well wishers at the trail’s end overcame the participants.
Participants and volunteers alike came to feel the spirits of their ancestors and to know, even for one day, the spirit of the Mormon Trail. Many heartfelt thoughts like the following were expressed: I felt a real pull to be out here. I don’t know why, but I’m supposed to be here. I know that for sure. Our lives were orchestrated in such a way as to get us here. It was exhilarating, quiet, powerful and gentle. For the veil was thin and they did travel by our sides; for we felt them daily. It was a memorial to our ancestors, a daily, daylong journey into the past and because of it, our lives were forever changed.
An apostolic blessing was given. In part, it stated: We ask thee Father to reach down from thy throne above and bless each and every man, woman, and child that they may have comfort and peace come to them. This is a very important enterprise, a very important understanding where a statement is made throughout the entire world. We ask thee to bless the animals that they may be strengthened. That they may, from the water they receive and the hay they partake of, be strong and able, that they may fulfill their responsibilities on this trek. We pray for those that are walking, that their limbs will be strong, that their hearts will be strong, that their limbs will have the capacity to carry them safely along. We pray for those pulling the handcarts; that when it gets difficult they will have the very same experiences of knowing those who have gone before are capable of coming and pushing the carts at their side. Heavenly Father, bless them, protect them, walk with them and see them safely into the Valley of the Great Salt Lake.
With the assistance of the spirit, events took place that touched our hearts and inspired us to a greater commitment. Without it, one could only see sagebrush and dusty trails. Sensitive hearts would discern the eloquent witness of what transpired, for they felt a spiritual kinship with those who traveled these trails. Their lives were strengthened and enriched, for the treasures of the trail were revealed only through sacrifice. There are those who would underestimate the difficulties: miles of dust filled winds, temperatures fluctuating 60 degrees in one day, the incessant buzz of swarming mosquitoes and the desolate aridity of desert regions, all factors as real now as they were then. Yet the songs of Zion were sung along the trail. Some of the children even walked barefoot. Our animals stayed strong and we relied on one another for safety and companionship.
On arrival, all were reminded: your wheels again cut deep into the sandy soil of Nebraska. The silhouette of wagons against the Wyoming sky created a picture of unique and wondrous beauty. You looked at the starry heavens at night, in lonely desolate places, and contemplated the wondrous things of God. You marveled at the sunrise and sunsets which marked the passing of each day…you have reached the end of the trail of which tens of thousands before dreamed in the long ago…you will now go your separate ways, but you will never forget this remarkable experience, nor will we…you will tell your children and your grandchildren and your great grandchildren about the year of 1997, when you made the long journey west following the tracks of the pioneers of 150 years earlier. God bless you, my beloved associates.
Their spirits transcended time and beckoned us to trace their journey for the trail never ends, we will not forget the memories we hold.
Little Soldier was bold, known to enter settlers houses unannounced and sit down to dinner. Settlers, acknowledging that they were uninvited immigrants, established an agreement with the Shoshone where both groups aimed to live-and-let-live.
But elsewhere the uneasy peace crumbled, and in 1853 Mormon leader Brigham Young ordered settlers to build and move into forts. for security. Bingham Fort was right here. With 560 residents, was the most populous on the Wasatch Front. But locals were slow to construct its walls and gates; a sign that here, the people were not in conflict. In fact, during winter of 1854-1855, destitute Chief Little Soldier and his band moved into Bingham Fort to share the settlers food.
Beginning in 1855 the fort was dismantled, and the area became more of a village. Native American encampments were scattered among 21 farmhouses. The years added a school, photo gallery, post- office, adobe, brick, molasses and saw mills. Photos of Chief Little Soldier and Mary Unin-tivoo, one of his wives, survive from this times.
He died there of pneumonia in 1884 after leading his people through one of the most tumultuous times in American history.
You are Standing in the Oldest Neighborhood in Ogden
First Peoples
People have lived here for thousands of years. Evidence of ancient humans has been found in nearby caves. Around the year 800, Fremont Indians began building towns of pit houses, and Weber County was densely populated. Large burial mounds still stand here, but the eventual disappearance of the Fremont remains a mystery.
Imagine teepee’s as far west as you could see.
Around 1300, the Northwestern Shoshone began living in the 2nd Street area every spring and summer. This location, along a shady river leading to a pond, was ideal for fishing and hunting. The Shoshone were one of the most ecologically efficient groups in North America. Plants, animals and natural events all carried significance, and every plant had a song. By the mid-1800s, Chief Little Soldier had claimed the whole of what is now Weber County. His remarkable band was made up of Shoshone, Goshute, and Ute Indians. It was they who saw the first Mormon settlers arrive in 1849. It was the beginning of a new era.
Goulding’s Trading Post is significant as a unique trading. It was founded by Harry Goulding and his institution in Navajo wife, “Mike”, in 1923 and remained under their ownership for forty years, when the title was transferred to Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois to provide a for Navajo youth. In their continuing interest in perpetual scholarship fund the welfare of the Navajo people and their concrete steps to improve the Indians’ well-being, the Gouldings have maintained the tradition of the “old trader” who was much more than a salesman and concerned with the interests of the Indians. In addition, Goulding’s Trading Post exemplifies the transition that has taken place on the Navajo reservation, from isolated colony to integrated component of American society, in a manner unrivaled by other Utah trading posts.
Goulding’s Trading Post was added to the National Register of Historic Places (#80003941) on October 20, 1980.
Goulding’s Trading Post began when Harry and Mike Goulding arrived in 1923 and built a few basic structures to live in. They homesteaded 640 acres on the Utah side of Monument Valley, whose stark beauty had first attracted them. They started trading with the Navajo and also acted as inn-keepers, a common enough function among white traders in this part of the world but one that was to grow in importance. “During his [Harry’s] first year, there were only four visitors to the area and he put them up at his place”. Slowly, visitors to the scenic area increased in number, bringing their tourist dollars to augment local income (for both the Gouldings and the Navajos, whose wares are sold at the trading post). The Great Depression decreased the flow, however. “Then in 1938 things were pretty tough for the Indians and Mr. Goulding heard rumors that the moving picture people were looking for a place to film a movie with Indians. He gathered up pictures of the area and made a trip to the West Coast which resulted in John Ford going to Monument Valley for [the] filming of “Stagecoach”. “My Darling Clementine” and “War Party” were also filmed at Monument Valley; recently there have been other films. Goulding’s provided accomodations for the entire company and the local Indians earned additional income through their participation in the movies. Partly through Harry Goulding’s encouragement the Navajo have gradually taken advantage of growing opportunities brought by modernization.
The Gouldings also aided the Navajo indirectly. They deeded thirty acres of their original homestead to the Seventh-Day Adventist Church for the building of a hospital and school. The clinic, in particular, is heavily patronized because it is the only facility of its kind for miles. (The next nearest medical facility is at Blanding, over 70 miles distant.)
In spite of the Goulding’s involvement with the modern world, they resisted the trend of the “new trader . . .[who] is in it for a short while . . .[and] comes in to make money and get out.” They have instead embodied in their post and in their actions the functions of the old-time trader, who “took pride in the higher standard of living and greater material comfort his activities brought to the Indians . . . summed up J.B. Moore [an old-time trader], . “manifestly, my only hope for success lies in aiding and bettering the conditions in my settlement by every means possible and to the utmost of my ability.”
