On this historic corner once stood the hub of the South Cottonwood community. The first settlers were principally Mormon converts from the southern states under the leadership of Amasa M. Lyman. On Thursday, October 19, 1848 this company arrived in Great Salt Lake City, and before the end of the month the company had settled in this area. Most of these families sheltered from the winter storms of 1848-49 in tents made from canvas wagon covers with walls reinforced with mud and timber or in dugouts excavated into the slope of a hill. One of the pioneers of that time was John Benbow who arrived with Brigham Young Company of 1848. As near as can be determined, the John Benbow dugout was in the small embankment approximately 30 feet south of the rock granary.
On February 16, 1849 the South Cottonwood Ward was organized with William Crosby as its first bishop. In 1851 most of the original settlers were called to accompany Elder Lyman on the mission to establish the city of San Bernardino, California. With the arrival of additional settlers to South Cottonwood an adobe meeting house was constructed on this corner in 1856. The original structure was added onto in 1869, in 1927, in 1941 and in 1969.
Located on this same corner, south of the meeting house also stood a cooperative store built in 1872 and operated by Richard Howe and his wife Ann. The store also served as post office to the community. At one time the ward owned a dairy, a hospital, a school , a stable, a park and a cemetery. Of the buildings of that era that once occupied this corner only the rock granary survives – a reminder of the industry and faith of the pioneers of South Cottonwood.
This is located at the chapel parking lot at 5605 South Vine Street in Murray, Utah. Check out this page for links to other markers also located here.
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