We all live downstream of history and upstream of the future.
Fall 2003
| In This Issue - Tribes and Unity | Features | News |
|
|
Eating through Time Changes in our eating patterns and a Smithsonian exhibit Preservation Puzzler Test your eye for old buildings Echo People in Echo have worked hard to save their church. |
News and Notes Digital Newspapers Online Finally, an easy way to search old newspapers.
|
 |
We humans naturally form associations. But it's all too easy to fall into the "I'm better than you" trap.
American Southwest, 1700s: Navajo is the name that the Spanish have given one of the region's Native American tribes. But the tribe calls itself Dine´ meaning The People. The name bestows a special sense of identity on the tribe. It implies that others are not the People. Interestingly, other American Indian groups also call themselves The People.
Central Utah, mid-1800s: A band of Utes mounted on horses raid a Paiute village. The Paiutes, who don't have the horses and weapons that the Utes have, can't put up much of a fight. So the invaders easily grab a number of children and take them off. They'll take the children to New Mexico, where they'll sell them as slaves.
Salt Lake City, 1877: For years, Mormons have called themselves Saints and everyone else Gentiles. In general, Mormons
and Gentiles don't at all get along well. When Brigham Young dies, editorials show how differently these two groups view
the world. The Mormon Deseret News praises the "Lion of the Lord." But the Gentile Salt Lake Tribune writes that "the most graceful act of his life has been his death."
Kanab, 1899: William Roundy and Daniel Seegmiller, both respected citizens, engage in a quarrel over irrigation water. Each
is looking after his own family--his own special group--each wanting to make sure his family gets its fair share. Resentment grows into rage, and Roundy kills Seegmiller. Shortly afterward, he kills himself.
Salt Lake City, 1919: The developers of Highland Park place restrictions on their subdivision. These restrictions prohibit non-"Caucasians" from buying lots, so that Highland Park residents will "forever be assured of desirable neighbors."
Price, 1925: A lynch mob in Carbon County murders a black man while several hundred men, women, and children watch. Later, not one person in the community will testify against the murderers. They go free.
Salt Lake City, 1930s: Schoolboys taunt a Chinese American girl by pulling their eyes out at the corners and calling her "Chink"--and they beat her up whenever they have an opportunity. The city won't let this girl or any other "non-white"
person swim in the public pool at Liberty Park. Movie theaters make "non-whites" sit together upstairs.
Salt Lake City, 1986: Judge Dean Conder rules that, after decades of being for men only, the exclusive Alta Club must admit women as members.
The word "tribalism" may evoke images of Native American or African tribes, but think again. All of the above stories demonstrate it. In one sense, a tribe is "a group of people having a common character, occupation, or interest," according to Webster's.
Is there anyone on earth who is not a member of some kind of group? Humans naturally band together for protection and survival. Even a family can become a small culture, with its own customs and values.
Although groups offer support and a sense of belonging, they can also have divisive and destructive effects. Consider how this might happen:
- You grow up in or spend time with a group. You--along with others--learn the group's ways and values.
- You are proud to be members of your group, and you defend its ideas.
- You think you are right--or at least more right than other people are.
- You begin to feel that you are better somehow. You deserve special privileges.
- Other people begin to seem strange, deviant, and maybe even threatening or evil.
This process is by no means rare! Often it happens so subtly that we don't notice it. But whenever one group (whether
ethnic, political, religious, national, or other) looks at others and thinks, "You're not one of us, so you must be inferior,"
mutual respect cannot exist. Constructive relationships cannot flourish. Instead, relationships are marked by indifference, disdain, resentment, fear, hate, or sometimes violence.
Much of the world's history is the story of struggles between "tribes." And these struggles continue--on many levels. Read
the paper. Watch the news. Consider your own special groups. You'll probably see tribalism in action.
Fortunately, history also tells us of times when groups overcame suspicion, fear, and hatred.
Consider the years of World War II, when many Americans hated Japan and all things Japanese. After Pearl Harbor, the
State Department commissioned a report on the loyalty of Japanese Americans. The report found no problems--no disloyalty. Nevertheless, in 1942 the government ordered the relocation of all Japanese Americans living on the West Coast.
U.S. citizens and legal immigrants had to abandon their homes and move to internment camps, like Topaz, a camp near
Delta, Utah. But a few managed to relocate on their own terms. Fred Wada was one. Wada, a produce dealer from Oakland, decided to move a group of Japanese Americans to Keetley, Utah. In this town a few miles east of Park City the group would establish a produce farm.
Wada had no desire to be interned and become a ward of the U.S. government. Instead, he proposed to support the war effort by growing vegetables.
The mayor of Keetley, Jack Fisher, supported and sponsored the move. However, when the people of Summit and Wasatch counties found out about the plan, they were alarmed. The Park City Council passed a resolution opposing it, saying "If twenty-five or thirty Japanese families move into this district, in a short period living standards will be lowered...." The resolution urged Governor Herbert Maw to do whatever it took to keep the Japanese from coming. The people of Heber City also complained.
Soon after the Japanese Americans arrived, somebody threw dynamite at a shed on the property. A couple of nights later, another harassing explosion shook the community.
Publicly, Governor Maw expressed concern. Privately, he asked Wada and the others to go back where they came from.
But the group stayed put. Over their colony, they flew a flag proclaiming, "Food for Freedom."
Over time, long-time residents got to know the newcomers. Mayor Fisher helped this process, talking to various organizations about Wada's group. The media wrote stories about how hard the Japanese Americans worked to help the war effort.
The newcomers began to play with local children. One local mother asked her son if he liked playing with the "Jap boys."
The son replied, "They're not Jap boys. We're all Americans."
Over time, understanding grew, while suspicion and fear dwindled. Two different groups learned to know and appreciate
each other. After the war, most of the Japanese left Utah, though a few stayed. The little settlement at Keetley became nothing more than the name of a junction, and now it lies, at least partly, under the water of Jordanelle Reservoir.
But what happened there during a time of war and high tensions shows that groups can choose understanding over the
all-too-common, all-too-destructive tribal divisions.
--Kristen Rogers, Currents editor krogers@utah.gov
Source: Charles Peterson, "Life in a Village Society," Utah Historical Quarterly, Winter 1981
FINDING UNITY
A CONVERSATION WITH PAMELA ATKINSON
 |
Greek-American Progressive Association picnic, 1920s. USHS photo. |
Pamela Atkinson is a community advocate for unity and a member of the Alliance for Unity. She works in behalf of the homeless and poor. Currents spoke with her about tribalism in Utah.
What kinds of "tribes" do you see in Utah?
When you look at the west side of Salt Lake, you see there are areas of little tribes, areas unofficially called Little Mexico or Little Bosnia, for instance. As the refugees come here, the agencies try to keep them together. We're now getting families from Somalia--Bantus. In their own country they were treated in a way that is inconceivable to us. I worked with a family from the Sudan; they were in an apartment complex with Sudanese, which helped their level of comfort in a strange country.
What we're getting are subcultures and sub-subcultures--with a way of living that is foreign to other cultures in SL. It isn't any different than historically. There's an outcry in West Valley about people parking on the lawn. But you must understand the cultures. The cars are their property, and they feel the need to have them close to the house for protection.
However, I have found on the west side teachers who are helping students understand each other's cultures. They understand that what is right in one culture may not be seen as right in another. The teachers are helping children understand where people come from, why they do what they do, that you may not agree with them but still can respect people from different cultures.
What about non-ethnic divisions?
This morning I went out on the Homeless Outreach van. Even among the homeless there are different groups, and I continue to learn from many homeless friends.
Mormon - non-Mormon is the big division in Utah. I'm an elder in my church. My Mormon friends have a hard time with that, because in their church only men are elders.
To overcome divisiveness, I look for commonalities. I find many similarities between LDS values and my values. If one concentrates on commonalities, difficulties take care of themselves.
What do you say when people get so emotional and divided?
In the LDS Church Plaza issue, for instance, people allowed issues to interfere with relationships. If you disagree in a way
that disrespects a person, you are letting issues interfere with relationships. You can continue to respect another even if
you disagree.
I'm appalled at how people from Arab countries, citizens of the U.S., were treated after 9/11. I'm appalled at how people
make judgments based on skin color, accent, and clothes.
One of the big mistakes we make is that we don't learn from history. When I read about what happened to Native Americans in this country, I think it's still happening--people saying, "If you don't like it, you can leave." There are so many lessons to be learned from the fighting that went on in the past.
One of the main reasons for teaching history in school is so people can learn from the mistakes we made and vow not to
make the same mistakes.
People talk about diversity. To me, diversity is one of the components of an umbrella of unity. It's only when we respect the diversity that has always been a part of this country that we can achieve unity.
Unity is respect for one another regardless of race, creed, culture, and religion. Learning from one another is so important. Helping others, regardless of where they may be from, is essential. We need to allow other people to help us learn and
grow. One of the most important components of giving is to allow others to give to us!
How can we form relationships with people unlike ourselves?
There's a saying: Nobody's born a bigot. It's learned. Children make friends with children who look very different from them.
We need to learn from children and reach out to one another. They have always accepted each other, until they learn from adults not to, when they hear disparaging remarks about color and culture.
In several schools I learn about people from different countries and cultures and realize my life has been enriched by people from different countries. I learn from their strength and how they deal with adversity. I think about my childhood, about the terrible times we had with being very poor and the conflicts we had. However, I meet people from Somalia and the Sudan
and I think, "Good gracious, Pamela, you really haven't suffered." I love to reach out and try to make a difference in people's lives because they make such a difference in my life.
Particularly in Utah, I know people who have known each other since preschool or kindergarten. Some have so many friends and acquaintances that there is no room for new ones. But the new friends may be the ones who enhance our lives. So we need to make room for people who are different than we are
I'm thinking of the "lost boys" from Sudan. One became the valedictorian from Weber State. This was a young man who arrived in North Dakota wearing sandals in the middle of winter. If you look at the "lost boys" and those who succeeded or who are still struggling, the difference is the people who have stepped in to mentor and help. When people mentor, they
need to make sure they aren't preaching but are accepting others as equals, knowing that they too can learn.
I have been seeing a Venezuelan family. They greet me warmly and prepare food from their country. They're from a different tribe; I'm from Great Britain. But they're friends now. That's part of unity--becoming part of one another's families.
If there were unity in Utah, what would our community be like?
If we had more unity, there would be less criticism, less backbiting, more groups who are different getting together and having a great time. When issues come up--like the Plaza--there would be healthy discussion and compromises. We would
get rid of bigotry, hatred, and paranoia.
Taking advantage of other people would disappear. Cheating on others would disappear. We'd be more open and frank in
our discussions. If we are unified, everyone will see themselves and others as equal--no one is superior, no one is inferior.
We just have different roles in life.
 |
Have you ever thought of how family meals have changed over the past decades? Today's dinner may be tacos, pizza, stir-fried vegetables, or tofu.
Pioneers came to Utah with a supply of monotonous staples like preserved meats, dried beans, cornmeal, rice, and flour--things that would not spoil on the long journey. After settling, they added variety by growing fruits and vegetables.
With each new decade came changes in agriculture, distribution, and marketing--all continually altering our eating habits.
Today, stores carry fresh produce all year. But most of us enjoy the fresh locally grown produce sold at farmers' markets. These crowded markets indicate that modern consumers are appreciating the ways of the past.
The USHS library has a number of sources for recipes from the pioneer era on through the 20th century. The following recipes from the library illustrate changes in eating patterns. Some have interesting ingredients, and some instructions are incomplete--so not all the recipes are recommended!
Pioneer and early 20th century recipes:
Fried Apples
Fry sliced apples in butter.
Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on them as you fry them to taste.
Grape Catsup
2 quarts ripe grapes
Vinegar to cover
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon cloves
1 tablespoon allspice
? tablespoon cayenne
Cook grapes in vinegar till soft; strain, add sugar and spices, and cook till thick. If vinegar be very strong, use less and cook slowly to avoid burning.
Squash Pie
One cup and a half of stewed and sifted squash, not watery, but dry and mealy, one cup of boiling milk, half a cup of sugar, half a teasoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of cinnamon and one egg beaten slightly. Mix in the order given. Line a plate with paste [crust], put on a rim and fill with the squash. Pumpkin pies are made the same way.
During the Depression years, people learned to "make do" with less. Starchy foods, being cheaper and more filling, were a big part of a meal. Families ate fruits and vegetables less often. When they used meat, they generally used every bit of a less expensive cut, including chicken backs, necks, and gizzards. Here are a few recipes that Depression-era families ate.
Calf's Head Cheese
Boil a calf's head in water, enough to cover it, until the meat leaves the bone. Take it with a skimmer into a wooden bowl or tray. Take from it every particle of bone. Chop it small; season with pepper and salt. A heaping tablespoonful of salt and a heaping teaspoonful of pepper will be sufficient. If liked, add a tablespoon of finely chopped sweet herbs. Lay a cloth in a colander. Put the minced meat into it, then fold the cloth closely over it. Lay a plate over, and on it, a gentle weight. When
cold it may be sliced thin for supper or sandwiches. Spread each slice with made mustard. [Instructions are definitely incomplete on this one.]
Milk Toast
4 slices bread, toasted and buttered [thick cuts of day-old homemade bread tastes best]
About 2 cups of scalded milk, well seasoned with salt and pepper and a big dab of butter
Break 2 slices of toast into each of 2 bowls. Cover toast with hot scalded milk and serve immediately. Also good with sharp Cheddar cheese grated on top. Serves 2
 |
During the 1950s, busy cooks took to making casseroles. The introduction of frozen foods simplified cooking even more, especially the creation of the frozen TV dinner. Kids loved the novelty of them. Kids also favored the new frozen fish sticks. Here is one of many tuna casserole recipes:
Mystery Casserole
? c. chopped onion
1 c. chopped celery
? c. water
1 7-oz. can tuna
1 3-oz. can Chinese noodles
? lb. chopped cashew nuts
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Cook onions and celery in ? cup water for 15 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except 1/3 cup noodles. Place in buttered casserole; top with remaining noodles. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Yield: 4 servings.
For more information on food in America visit the Smithsonian exhibit, Key Ingredients: America By Food, now traveling through Utah. Through a selection of artifacts, photographs and illustrations, Key Ingredients, examines how culture, ethnicity, landscape and tradition influence the foods and flavors we enjoy across the nation. The Utah Humanities Council presents the Utah tour. Developed in conjunction with the exhibition, the interactive website, www.keyingredients.org provides more information.
Mary Peach, communications and membership specialist.
Sources:
Bounty, A Harvest of Food Lore and Country Memories From Utah's Past by Janet Alm Anderson; Cache Valley Historical Cookbook: Recipes from Cache Valley's past, Cache Valley Historical Society; Favorite Mormon Recipes; Favorite Utah Pioneer Recipes by Marla Rawlings;
Pioneer Recipes and Remedies, by Millie Foster Cheesman; Recipes from Utah 1896, Utah State Society DAR
NEW ITEMS AT USHS LIBRARY
In order to better serve our patrons we now have:
1) Selected Collections from the Archives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These 74 DVDs contain 400,000 scanned images of valuable and rare LDS church documents, the oldest of which is 170 years old. Some of the contents:
4,000 pages from the archived papers of LDS church founder Joseph Smith; Brigham Young Letterpress copybooks, 1844-1879; Joseph F. Smith Journal, 1856-1881, 1883, 1909, and 1912; and the Charles C. Rich Collection, 1832-1908. The Salt Lake Temple Architectural Drawings, 1853-1893, are particularly interesting to browse.
Among the most important research tools on the DVDs are the full manuscript history of the church written from 1839
through 1882 and the church's Journal History from 1896 to 1923.
Money to purchase the DVDs came partly from Harold Schindler memorial donations. According to Linda Thatcher, Historical Collections Coordinator, "We were waiting for something significant to be published before using this money, because of
the importance of the Schindler memorial donations."
2) 1880 United States Census and National Index. This CD contains census information by household or institution for
around 50 million individuals.
3) Mormon Immigration Index. This CD contains information about LDS immigration voyages to the United States for the years 1840-1890. The information comes from personal accounts, the European Emigration Card Index, European mission registers, LDS publications, and customs lists.
NEW UHQ LESSON PLANS FOR TEACHERS
In an initiative to involve teachers, students, and parents in using the Utah Historical Quarterly to learn more about history, USHS now has lesson plans to go with UHQ articles. One of the recently developed lesson plans deals with the involvement
of Utah women and children during World War II in collecting valuable resources for the war effort. Lesson plans and enhancement materials are available on our web site at history.utah.gov/education/uhqlessons.html. We invite our members to let educators know about this new resource.
The Utah Historical Quarterly is an excellent resource for students and teachers. As funding for educational resources
becomes increasingly tight, UHQ may become unavailable to some schools. We invite you to consider sponsoring a school's membership in the Utah State Historical Society so all students and teachers will have access to the wealth of history information contained in UHQ.
CCC GOES ONLINE
 |
The Civilian Conservation Corps was probably the most successful of Roosevelt's numerous New Deal programs established during the Great Depression. The CCC had two goals: to provide jobs and training to young men and to make improvements on public land.
You can now explore the CCC in Utah online. Photos, newsletters, and interviews from many of Utah's 116 camps are on the USHS website. The collection gives a great sense of what life was like for the young men (mostly between 18 and 25 years old) who left home to earn money for their families by working for Uncle Sam. You can search for specific people, locations, camp names, etc., or you can just browse and enjoy images that are sometimes funny--and always interesting.
AASLH HONORS PAPANIKOLAS
Helen Papanikolas, Utah State Historical Society Fellow and former board member, is being honored by the American Association for State and Local History at its annual meeting in September. Craig Fuller, Utah AASLH awards chair, notes that Helen's recognition is for her lifetime achievement in researching and writing about the Greek community in Utah and the West. Papanikolas is unmatched in her insightful understanding and production of scholarly books and articles on Greeks in Utah, says Fuller.
In the nomination, Marriott Library's Gregory C. Thompson wrote, "Helen Papanikolas has made an enormous contribution to the development of Utah's history storyline." USHS director Phil Notarianni wrote that Helen has set high standards for ethnic history in the state, encouraged young scholars, organized an exhibit that evolved into the Hellenic Cultural Museum, and given dozens of public lectures.
As AASLH state awards chair, Fuller welcomes suggestions or nominations of worthy individuals, history museums, and organizations. For further information, contact Fuller at the Utah State Historical Society, (801) 533-3538 or cfuller@utah.gov.
KIDS DIG THE PAST
Indiana Jones has nothing on a real archaeologist--as a group of children found out in June. Working with Ron Rood, Utah Assistant State Archaeologist, elementary-age children did actual archaeology on Antelope Island, excavating, screening dirt, making maps, and taking notes.
"The kids learned firsthand that archaeology is a science, not a treasure hunt," Ron says. "And they began to understand the rich prehistory of Utah. They understood that people and cultures lived on this land before we did."
Around 1000 years ago indigenous people whom we now call the Fremont used the site on Antelope Island as a base camp for hunting and plant gathering.
"We're not trying to turn the kids into archaeologists," says Rood. "But if they can come away knowing how precious our archaeological resources are, if they acquire a sense of wonder about other people and other times, we will have succeeded."
USHS ANNUAL MEETING
The Utah State Historical Society will hold its annual meeting on Thursday and Friday, September 11-12, at the Salt Lake City Public Library. The events are free and open to the public.
JOIN THE PRESERVATION LISTSERV
Stay in touch with preservationists from throughout Utah by joining the Historic Preservation Listserv. Through this "group e-mail," you can share information, ask (and answer) preservation-related questions, and find out about current preservation issues and events. The free-flowing format allows everyone to participate. More information.
Have you spent time researching newspapers in front of a microfilm reader, endlessly loading reels into the machine, trying to find that important article by reading page after page, hoping you haven't accidentally skipped over it? Ever wondered how nice would it be to search these newspapers searchable with a simple point-and-click?
Well, wait no longer. The The Digital Technologies Division at the Marriott Library has developed a website full of historic Utah newspapers digitized to allow keyword searching from the comfort of your PC. Twenty different newspaper titles from 13 Utah counties, ranging from 1879 to 1956, are available at the library's "Utah Digital Newspapers" website: http://digitalnewspapers.org.
In 2002 the collection was launched. Three newspapers--Wasatch Wave, Vernal Express, and Grand Valley Times--were selected, and 10,000 pages of each were loaded onto the library's server last December.
This year's work dramatically expands the scope of the program by adding 104,000 pages.
The project staff queried several notable Utah historians about which counties' weekly newspapers should be represented. Historians most often named Carbon, Summit, Tooele, Juab, and Sanpete counties. So this year's new titles are Eastern Utah Advocate, Carbon County News, News-Advocate, Park Record, Tooele County Chronicle, Eureka Reporter, and Manti Messenger, and also Millard County Chronicle, Emery County Progress, Green River Journal, Washington County News, American Eagle, and Murray Eagle.
The other major additions this year are four early predecessors of the Ogden Standard-Examiner, the first daily newspaper in the collection.
In locating source materials, the project team discovered several collections of older newspapers in dusty storage rooms around the state. In fact, half of this year's volume was scanned from hard copies instead of microfilm. Though slightly more expensive to process, original hard copies provide much higher quality than microfilm does.
Whether you're interested in history or genealogy, the future of newspaper research is now, and it's only an Internet connection and a mouse click away.
--John Herbert, project director, Utah Historical Newspapers, University of Utah Marriott Library john.herbert@library.utah.edu
 |
Identify the istoric structure in this photograph and win a membership to the Utah State Historical Society for yourself or to give as a gift. Send your response (one guess per contestant) to Preservation Puzzler, Utah State Historical Society, 300 S Rio Grande, Salt Lake City, UT 84101. Responses must be postmarked by October 15. A drawing will be held of the winners to determine who receives the gift certificate. |
|
|
The building shown in the Summer 2003 Preservation Puzzler is the Utah Ice and Storage Company Building at 551 W. 300 South in Salt Lake City. It was constructed c.1902 just one block west of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Depot, in the newly expanding industrial area of the city. UI&S Co. was a commercial supplier of ice and a provider of on-site cold storage, one of just a handful of such businesses in the city at that time. The building is located adjacent to the proposed "intermodal hub," a joint terminal for commuter rail, light rail, and bus service. |
 |
The Echo Cafe is a historical artifact all by itself. With its lunch counter, jukebox, pinball machine, fishing supplies, postcards, bandannas, jewelry, hamburgers, and old magazines--really old (for instance, 1970s-era Working Women magazines await a buyer)--this cafe harkens back to pre-franchise days.
So do the signs you might find in the window informing you that the proprietor, Frank Cattelan, has gone to Coalville, the gas station, or the old church.
Actually, Frank is often at the old church. He heads up the Echo Community Historical Organization, which has spent some $90,000 in donations, raffles, and grants (including CLG grants from USHS) restoring the building.
Built in 1876 by the Presbyterians, the church is one of those buildings cherished so much that communities take great pains to save them.
When its then-owner, the LDS church, put the building up for sale in 1972, Frank's father-in-law, John Richins, personally donated $10,000 for the purchase. Frank was able to negotiate a price of $5,000 (down from the original $20,000), and he used the rest for a new roof.
In following years, the town restored the windows and the belfry (a rope hanging inside the door still rings the bell). Volunteers stripped wallpaper and spent a year and a half stripping paint from the wainscoting. The church then got new plaster, a gas furnace, water, restrooms, carpet, and new doors. This fine old building can now host funerals, weddings, and other gatherings. The Historical Organization has also begun a small museum/photo display in the basement.
The residents of Echo have always lived on a transportation corridor. Settlers sold produce to emigrants traveling on the Mormon and California trails. Later, the town had a Pony Express relay station, a stagecoach rest station, a railroad depot, and a section of the Lincoln Highway. During the building of the transcontinental railroad, the town swelled with railroad workers, tents, saloons, and brothels.
Today, trains still barrel through this tiny town, horns blaring. And cars zip past on the freeway. But they are passing a town where residents truly cherish and care for their history.
For more information or to see the church, call Frank Cattelan at (801) 336-5642
During the 12th century, a group of people built a village out of stone and mud mortar in the area of Boulder, Utah. About 200 people lived here for 75 years. They left behind the largest known Anasazi site west of the Colorado River.
Today, at the Anasazi State Park Museum, you can see the 700-year-old walls built out of stone and mud mortar. You can also see:
* The original burned timbers, charred in what was perhaps an intentional fire.
* A six-room replica of the pueblo.
* A reconstructed pithouse.
* A variety of pottery styles, all found at the site.
* An array of other fascinating artifacts; for instance, a temporary display of miniature ladles, bowls, and pots stimulates the imagination. What did these tiny items mean to the Anasazi?
* Creative interactive displays.
* A magnificent setting at the base of Boulder Mountain, on the edge of the Escalante canyons, and in the midst of a rural valley.
Despite all their excavation and analysis, archaeologists can't answer every question that comes up. For instance, the many Fremont artifacts found in the pueblo make them wonder about how these two cultures interacted. Evidence of violence that occurred around A.D. 1170 raises more questions. Since 2/3 of the site has yet to be excavated, some answers may emerge in the future.
But until then, the Anasazi State Park Museum is a great place to discover what we have learned about these people, to appreciate their handiwork, and to imagine their lively community.
Location
Highway 12 in Boulder, Utah
Hours
May 16 - September 15: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
September 16 - May 15: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The park is closed New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Contact
Anasazi State Park Museum
PO Box 1429
Boulder, UT 84716-1429
(435) 335-7308
www.stateparks.utah.gov
HOW THE WEST WAS DONE
On Antelope Island
 |
Don Hartley, Karen Krieger, and Kevin Jones at the Fielding Garr Ranch. |
It took ten years, but the result is stunning. The restoration of the Fielding Garr Ranch is officially complete. At this oasis on Antelope Island, visitors can experience an authentic story of western ranching as they walk through the restored shearing barn, ranch house, corrals, sheep camp, blacksmith shop, and more.
It wouldn't have happened without an inspired partnership between the divisions of State History and State Parks. Ten years ago, Karen Krieger, heritage coordinator for State Parks, created an advisory team that included State History staff. In a ribbon cutting in July, Krieger explained how the partnership with State History staff helped "put this project over the top."
State Archaeologist Kevin Jones brought a "thoughtful mind" and a "spirit of cooperation focused on solving problems rather than dwelling on them." Jones also oversaw archaeological excavation and interpretation at the ranch.
Compliance officer Jim Dykman helped State Parks staff understand federal regulations and taught them how to deal ethically and responsibly with cultural resources.
Assistant State Archaeologist Ron Rood, dedicated to both education and science, did "as much as anyone to promote an awareness and appreciation of cultural resources." (See "News and Notes.")
Architect Don Hartley "crawled onto failing rafters [and] put his hand where no one else would" in order to understand how to best preserve the ranch. He wrote whitewash recipes, studied mortar, did structure reports, and much more.
Preservation coordinator Roger Roper led a team that helped State Parks greatly improve its reputation in preservation.
The Antelope Island experience provided a model for the entire State Parks system, so that now every park manager is aware of and responsible for good cultural resource practices.
Which is all to say that:
1) Partnerships can do great things.
2) The professionals at the Utah State Historical Society/Division of State History offer invaluable help in the preservation of cultural resources.
3) Restoration and preservation is an adventure--a worthwhile adventure.
4) The end result benefits many people in many ways.
BOOK MARKS
Another Massacre book? Yep, the original
 |
Juanita Brooks in 1968 |
It is exciting to find an author who has the power to move you?to change your world or, at least, your perception of the world. If that doesn't happen to us very often, it probably means we aren't reading enough.
I will never forget my first encounter with Juanita Brooks. Shortly after graduating from college, I became interested in the Mountain Meadows Massacre. The only thing I had previously read on the subject was one chapter in Essentials in Church History, by LDS apostle and historian Joseph Fielding Smith. This apologetic work fixes blame for the massacre mainly on John D. Lee and quotes H. H. Bancroft, who wrote that it "was the crime of an individual, the crime of a fanatic of the worst stamp." Being fairly unread in Utah history at the time, I did not know any differently. Then I discovered Brooks's The Mountain Meadows Massacre and realized how little I knew, not only about that event but also Utah history in general, and I hungered to know more. I eagerly devoured the book, and it was a transforming experience. She kindled in me a passion and zest for reading history that I had never experienced before.
As I read her book, I was amazed at how well she marshaled a myriad of facts, put them in perspective, and helped me better understand the circumstances leading to this horrendous crime. I was struck that, though Brooks was a self-proclaimed lifelong "loyal and active member" of the LDS church, she was nevertheless able to relate the "horrible details" in a remarkably impartial and dispassionate manner.
Realizing that her work could potentially mar the image of the Mormon church, she still reasoned that "In trying to present this subject with a desire to tell the truth, I believe that I am doing my church a service.... This study is not designed either to smear or to clear any individual; its purpose is to present the truth. I feel sure that nothing but the truth can be good enough for the church to which I belong." Those brave words struck a chord that resonated deep within me and affect me to this day in how I view the search for historical truth.
Like most people with busy lives and schedules, I have far less time to read than I would like. So, when I want to learn as much as I can about a given subject and have time to read only one book, I try to find the one that knowledgeable people judge to be the "best," "definitive," or a "must-read." Even with the abundance of books that have come out since The Mountain Meadows Massacre was first published in 1950, this one remains the best book on the subject, the standard by which all others are measured, and the foundation upon which all others are built.
Curt Bench, owner of Benchmark Books, Salt Lake City; cbench@netzero.net
 |
Skye Montgomery with her history display |
Why I Love the Utah History Fair
The Utah History Fair and National History Day do for history what the Science Fair does for science. Each year more than 700,000 students nationwide participate in National History Day. They create documentaries, exhibits, performances, or historical papers around an annual theme. Each entry is judged at the regional level; winners progress to the state competition. Eventually, the best entries in each category represent the state at the national contest. Although National History Day is run as a contest, it emphasizes the sharing of ideas between participants rather than competition.
My seventh-grade teacher first introduced me to the program. That year I created an exhibit about the C.S.S. Hunley, the first successful submarine. To my surprise, I received first place at the state level and advanced to the national competition, where my exhibit won a special award for Civil War history.
Since my first experience with the program, I have competed annually in the exhibit category. I have researched the Civil War as a frontier for modern medical practice, the impact of ironclad vessels on naval warfare, and most recently, the presence of civil rights in the Union navy.
My participation in the History Fair has been an overwhelmingly positive experience. Through their research, students gain insight into the past, which can often change their opinions of the future.
The greatest benefit I received from the Utah History Fair was a new view of history. Before I participated in the program, I viewed history as a one-sided timeline of events, the sum of which had no impact on the present. Now I realize that it is instead a growing and changing collection of views from all those who came and went before us. History is not neat and tidy; often we must dig through layers of conflict and biases before we reach the truth.
National History Day provides an excellent service to students across the nation. It gives them the opportunity to explore history in a fun and meaningful way and share their experiences with peers. I only hope that others will continue to benefit from this program as much as I have.
--Skye Montgomery. Skye is in the 11th grade at Cedar City High School and has been the state grand prize winner three times. She has been a finalist at the national competition and has shown her exhibit at the Smithsonian Museum of American History.
BEFORE INSTANT MESSAGING
Mule Mail and Other Quaint Communication Devices
When Euro-Americans settled in Utah, they had to wait quite some time for mail from back home. In the earliest days, mail often came by boat to California, then to Salt Lake City by pack mule. To send a letter east, someone might ask a traveler to take it along.
Needless to say, mail service was neither reliable nor regular.
Utah got its own official postmaster in 1849. The cancellation on the first letters read "Salt Lake, Cal."--because before Congress created Utah Territory, this region was called Upper California.
One by one, the new little towns received post offices. In 1854, 27 cities from Parowan to Brigham City had them. In 1901, Utah had an astounding 76,945 post offices--definitely a peak.
The government granted the first overland mail contract starting in 1850. Wagons and stagecoaches carrying the mail were supposed to arrive monthly, according to the contract. But they seldom did. In the winters mail from the East often didn't arrive at all.
But--communication methods have a way of evolving. The railroad replaced stagecoaches in carrying the mail. The telegraph and telephone opened up more possibilities.
And between that time and this, you might say that there have been another change or two.
 |
The Pony Express station at Fish Springs in a photo takin in the 1920s or 1930s by Charles Kelly. The station no longer exists. For 18 months in 1860 and 1861 relays of mail-carrying riders covered the 1,838 miles between St. Joseph, Missouri, and Sacramento, California, in ten days. Each rider changed horses every 12 miles, riding 70 to 80 miles day. When the transcontinental telegraph began operation in 1861, the Pony Express went out of business. |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
The first demonstration of a telephone conversation was held in 1879 in Salt Lake City; the Deseret News called it "astonishing." In 1880, an Ogden group began taking contributions for a phone system. "It will be quite an advantage to our citizens," they said, "who for a few dollars per month can have telephonic connection with their butcher, grocer, banker, etc., give orders from the their firesides...and never move outside their residences." The exchange opened in 1880 with 24 lines and 30 phones--the first exchange in the Mountain West. |
 |
When the line opened for commercial service in 1915, audiences all over the nation listened on their receivers to hear Alexander Graham Bell, in New York, repeat the now-famous words to his assistant Thomas Watson, in San Francisco: "Mr. Watson, come here. I want you." Watson replied, "Sorry, Mr. Bell; I can't. I'm too far away." |