When he died August 29, 1877, Brigham Young was the leader of a Commonwealth centered in Salt Lake City, Utah of 350 towns and cities in what had been a desert thirty years before. He was loved and sustained as a prophet by more than 100,000 members of the Latter-day Saints Church founded only 47 years before. He later came to be called the greatest colonizer of the American West, “the American Moses”. Born June 1, 1801, in Whittingham, Vermont, and raised on a series of frontier homesteads in western New York, Brigham Young had little formal schooling. He educated himself and became a skilled and respected carpenter, cabinate maker and glazier in Albany, and then Mendon, New York. In 1830 he read the Book of Mormon just after it was published in nearby Palmyra, New York. After two years of careful investigation he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and devoted himself to missionary work and loyal support of its founder, Joseph Smith. In 1835 he was chosen as one of Church’s first group of twelve apostles and was sent on many missions, including a year (1840) in Great Britain, where he supervised successful preaching and church organization and then emigration of converts to America. After Joseph Smith was killed by a mob in Illinois in 1844, Brigham Young led the Latter-day Saints (Mormons) in the great exodus to Utah. He is best known as an energetic and judicious leader, who was President of the Church for nearly 30 years; Governor of the Utah Territory and Superintendent of Indian Affairs from 1851-1857; a builder of railroads, theaters, temples and industries. He was also a powerful and witty orator and a deeply spiritual man who said he saw the Salt Lake Valley in a vision before he was able to announce, “this is the right place.” Brigham Young always fostered education–encouraging learning societies in schools in pioneer Utah, and in 1875, founded the academy that became Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. He wrote, “education is the power to think clearly, to act well in the day’s work, and to appreciate life.”
Plaque C: (Back side) BRIGHAM YOUNG STATUE COMMISSION In 1992, the Utah State Legislature and governor concurred in a resolution urging that a statue of Brigham Young be placed in the Utah State Capitol. Eighteen commission members were appointed by the governor to carry out the project. The commission began work in September of 1992, eager to insure that this statue capture the greatness, energy, drive and dedication of the man who led the Mormon pioneers to this valley and organized the settling of the intermountain west. The commission voted unanimously to approve the model submitted by Utah sculpture Kraig Varner. All agreed that it reflected the strength, determination, and extraordinary vision of Brigham Young. Commission members served on a volunteer basis, giving freely of themselves and their time. They felt honored to work on a project bringing additional recognition to this central figure of Utah history. Brigham Young Statue Commission: Donald R. LaBaron, Chairman 1992-94…(list of names) July 25, 1994
Plaque D: (West side) PROPHET STATESMAN PIONEER
See other historic markers in the series on this page for SUP Markers.
The historic Garden Park Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is situated where the Red Butte Creek flows into the Salt Lake Valley. Brigham Young in 1857 conveyed his deeded property to his younger brother, Lorenzo Dow Young. In 1880 it was acquired by Lorenzo’s daughter, Josephine Young Carter, who transferred 21 acres, including this site, to Le Grand Young. Le Grand was Brigham Young’s nephew and general legal counsel to the LDS Church. Le Grand and Lorenzo planted trees, many of which remain on this site. In 1918 it was sold to John C. Howard who enlarged the home and added the walls and smaller buildings. The estate was bought in 1928 for the Garden Park Ward Chapel, which was dedicated April 2, 1939 by President Heber J. Grant.
The chapel stands on a foundation constructed for the Howard mansion. The oak grove, the giant trees, the stream and pond, walks, walls, and gardens provide a place of worship with historical ties to pioneer days.
President Gordon B. Hinckley 15th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints rededicated the Garden Park Ward building and grounds on January 20, 2008. This was President Hinckley’s last public appearance prior to his passing on January 27, 2008.
The Loveland Living Planet Aquarium’ is a non-profit organization located in Draper. It is home to 2500 animals representing 450 species. The public aquarium consists of five main exhibits: Discover Utah, Ocean Explorer, Journey to South America, Expedition Asia and Antarctic Adventure.(*)
This is the last summit in the Wasatch Mountains along the pioneer trail. From this point the trail descends northwest until it reaches Emigration Creek. As William Clayton’s emigrants guide warns, “The descent is very steep all the way.”
The Donner Party passed over the summit August 21, 1846 and the Mormons on July 21, 1847.
Note: This monument was refurbished by the Salt Lake City Chapter SUP and dedicated on July 21, 2015 as SUP monument #187. The plaque indicates a dedication date of May 2015 – however the dedication was delayed due to considerable rain during May and June.
Lured by Lansford Hasting’s assurance that his shortcut from the well-known trail to Oregon and California would save 250 miles and weeks of travel, the ill-fated Donner-Reed party reached this place August 23, 1846, after spending 16 days to hack out a 36 mile road through the Wasatch Mountains. Here at this narrow mouth of the canyon, they were stopped by what seemed impenetrable brush and boulders. Bone-weary of that kind of labor, they decided instead to goad the oxen to climb the hill in front of you. Twelve-year-old Virginia Reed, later recalled that nearly every yoke of oxen was required to pull each of the party’s twenty-three wagons up the hill. After this ordeal, the oxen needed rest, but there was no time. The party pushed on to the Salt Flats, where many oxen gave out. This caused delays, which let to disaster in the Sierra Mountains.
A year later, July 22, 1847, Brigham Young’s Pioneer Party, following the Donners and benefiting from their labor, reached this spot. William Clayton recorded their decision: “We found the road crossing the creek again to the south and then ascending a very steep, high hill. It is so very steep as to be almost impossible for heavy wagons to ascend…. Colonel Markham and another man went over the hill and returned up the canyon to see if a road cannot be cut through and avoid this hill. Brother Markham says a good road can soon be made through the bushes some ten or fifteen rods. A number of men went to work immediately to make the road…. After spending about four hours of labor the brethren succeeded in cutting a pretty good road along the creek and the wagons proceeded on.”
Among the lessons learned that day was one stated succinctly by Virginia Reed in a letter to prospective emigrants back home: “Hurry along as fast as you can, and never take no shortcuts.”
Sometime around 2010 the plaque here was stolen, I drive by often and was pleasantly surprised to see a new one in 2016.
Here’s the original (photos not by me, but by my friend Rick Scheve.
DONNER HILL After 4 1/2 miles of fighting boulders and brush along stream bed Donner Party gave up here and on August 22, 1846 climbed steep hill to southwest. A survivor wrote, “We doubled teams, almost every yoke in the train (of 23 wagons) being required to pull up each wagon.” Mormon Pioneers a year later built road through to mouth of canyon with 4 hours labor. Erected by “Mormon” Explorers Y M M I A
Sponsors: Sugar House Chapter Sons of Utah Pioneers and Emigration Canyon Historical Society, 2012 Location: Mouth of Emigration – Rotary Glen Park There are five plaques associated with this monument:
Native People
In the beginning, nature appears to have made every effort to conceal this sacred place. Yet soaring above, the eagle has known of it since creation. Thousands of years before this land was called America, Native Americans saw many uses for this respected canyon. The Ute, known as, People of the Land of the Sun or People of the Mountains considered this canyon a place of Great Power. To the west, the Salt Lake Valley was acknowledged as the Land of Peace between Nations. The Ute, Goshute, Navajo, Paiute & Shoshoni gathered food in the valley for the winter months. Where we now walk there are stones we step upon, paths we follow, hills and mountains we climb, perhaps with thought only of our own journey. How often we hear, or say, how far we’ve walked, run or ridden. Look back 300 years, 600, a thousand – and more. The native people who lived and labored up and down this canyon were following game and foraging for food. They were families living here. Each member was celebrated – from the elder sharing stories and wisdom, to a father’s successful hunt and a mother who taught what plants could be eaten or used as medicine. There was the joy of a birth. Small ones, who survived, were treasured children among them. Those whose ancestors have arrived in the last few centuries, would do well to remember that we stand on land which was first respected, appreciated, loved and understood as beloved Mother Earth. If we too, are to have future generations who look back and honor us, and this place, we must assist and value each other, our families and our near and distant communities. May this place serve as a reminder that earlier visiting people passed where you now stand, with the acute awareness that they were treading on the sacred land of the Ute Nation. Now we walk here. Let us walk with respect This Monument is dedicated to the people of the Ute Nations
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DONNER-REED PARTY
“There are mental struggles which so absorb the being and soul that physical terror or tortures are unnoticed.” – C F McGlashan 1879 There are 27 canyons on the Eastern Bench of the Salt Lake Valley. Only two of which have an entrance and exit: Emigration Canyon and Parley’s Canyon to the south. For this reason, the Donner-Reed party made its way down this canyon. Eighty-seven men, women, children and 23 covered wagons were encouraged by the advice of Lansford W. Hastings and his suggestion of a shortcut westward to California of almost 400 miles. Spending three weeks cutting a road to East Canyon, over Big Mountain and Little Mountain, the group arrived at this spot on August 22, 1846. From here, they set out for the mountains of Sierra Nevada not reaching them until November. High in the mountains, they became trapped by early, heavy snowfall, and their food supplies ran low. Stranded until help arrived in February 1847, some emigrants resorted to cannibalism to survive, eating those who had succumbed to starvation and sickness. Only 48 survived to reach California. It was one of the most spectacular tragedies in western migration.
MORMON PIONEERS The Spirit of Gathering Called Us Here
Having been persecuted for their beliefs and driven from their homes in many states, the Mormon pioneers gathered in Winter Quarters, Nebraska. On April 16, 1847, thus began the “Mormon Migration” as their leader Brigham Young and a party of 148 headed westward to the Rocky Mountains. It was necessary to find an isolated area where they could permanently settle and practice their religion in peace. The movement of an entire people, religion, and culture ensued. This canyon played a pivotal part in the completion of the journey. Arriving July 21, 1847 a small group of men explored this canyon passing this very place, where they entered the valley and planted the first crops. In the days following, others arrived, having survived the treacherous and slow decent through this canyon. About noon on the 24th of July, 1847, Brigham Young and the last section of the party entered the valley. During the subsequent twenty-two years of the exodus, 60,000 saints would enter this valley. The length of the journey equaled the distance from Liverpool, England to the Salt Lake Valley at almost 7828 miles.
EXPLORERS – TRAPPERS – TRADERS
Only Native Indians inhabited what is now Utah prior to the 1700s. The exploring party of Escalante and Dominquez traveled 1800 miles to arrive to the south at Utah Lake in 1776, but never entered the Salt Lake Valley. This Great Basin area was first claimed by the Spanish as a Mexican Territory until the Mexican War (1846-1848). In the 1820s and 1830s, Mountain Men and Trappers led lives that were dangerous and often down right miserable. Some ended in attacks by Natives or grizzly bears. But, during their short time here, many explored the canyons and surrounding areas. Among the first white traders along this Wasatch Range was Etienne Provost known as the “Man of the Mountains”. Jim Bridger reached this basin too by traveling in a bull boat along what he thought was an arm of the Pacific Ocean because of the Great Salt Lake’s salinity. Other notables were Jedediah Smith, Thomas “Broken Hand” Fitzpatrick, Morris “Black” Harris, and Milton and William Sublete, as well as many others. In 1843, explorer John C. Fremont made a great contribution with his detailed book on this canyon and the Great Basin. Accompanying him were Kit Carson, Tom Fitzpatrick and mapmaker Charles Preuss. In 1849, Howard Stansbury surveyed this area again. “Emigration is a gate to the Salt Lake Valley, veiled in obscurity, and unknown to the citizens of the United States” – Solomon Carvalho 1852
MODERN DAY CANYON USES
“We reached the end of the canyon where it looked as though our wagons would have to be abandoned” – April 23, 1857, Joel Hills Johnson Emigration Canyon rises 1400 feet in less than four miles making it a very treacherous and difficult descent into the valley. In 1849-1851, the Gold Rush in California brought 30,000 “Forty-Niners” down this canyon trail. Utah War (May 1857-July 1858) saw 2000 militia defenders, the nations largest & most experienced, rushing up this canyon eastward to defend the city as 3500 Army troops, one third of the US Army, made their way down this canyon to stop a supposed rebellion by the Mormons against the US Government. The Overland Freight and Mail services navigated this pass from 1849 until 1858. The Stage Coach era started in 1858, followed by the Pony Express Mail system in 1860-1861. The first continental telegraph was connected on October 24, 1861 via a link which came down this canyon to Salt Lake. The first telegram sent by Governor Brigham Young to President Abraham Lincoln stated: “Utah has not seceded but is firm for the Constitution & laws of our once happy country” The Canyon changed drastically in 1869 with the completion of the first Transcontinental Railroad at Promontory Point, Utah. This canyon then ceased to be the main gateway to the west. (Note: The rail lines were joined at Promontory Summit, Utah, 50-miles north of Promontory Point, Utah.)
Laws enacted in 1869 led to development by farmers, ranchers and miners. It still has the largest number of residents of any canyon on the east bench. In 1873, the first wooden stave pipes carried water from this canyon to the city below. Sheep-herders by the thousands used this canyon as a conduit to the surrounding mountains for grazing of the sheep. Pioneers, craftsmen and laborers now quarried limestone, sandstone and timber from the canyon using the small gauge railroad from 1907-1917 to ferry goods & visitors in and out of the canyon. This canyon boasted hotels, dance halls, a brewery, restaurants, religious retreats, stores, sundries and canyon grown vegetables & fruit. The first snow lifts wer installed; two ice skating rinks, even a golf course … all now long gone. Bikers, hikers and those who love the mountains now enjoy this historic canyon. “The footsteps of thousands have marked the pathway of this historic canyon.” Robert W. Race & Stanley A. Fishler
HISTORIC EMIGRATION CANYON MONUMENT Robert W. Race, Project Chairman Stanley A Fishler, Co-Project Chairman Sugarhouse Chapter – Sons of Utah Pioneers
Emigration Canyon Historical Society A list of donors are displayed on the plaque.
