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92-536: Through forces of erosion, the Provo River has carved out the canyon over time. Attractions in Provo Canyon include Vivian Park , Sundance , and Bridal Veil Falls . The canyon is known for both its natural attractions and practical uses. Deer Creek Reservoir serves as water storage for Salt Lake and Utah Valleys. Provo Canyon has served as a route of transportation between the valleys to the east and west of

184-535: A Utah County Public Park, and today it serves as a recreation area with pavilions, a fishing pond, volleyball, and access to the Provo River Parkway trail. Canyon Glen Park is a hidden gem for families and small get-togethers. Being located only two and a half miles from the mouth of Provo Canyon allows visitors quick access to the cities of Provo and Orem. It features two pavilions, an amphitheater, volleyball courts, and five open fire pits. Bathrooms and

276-517: A direct confrontation with the federal government. On August 29, Brigham Young instructed Daniel H. Wells to draft a second proclamation of martial law." On September 15, the day after Van Vliet left Salt Lake City, Young publicly declared martial law in Utah with a document almost identical to that printed in early August. This second proclamation received wide circulation throughout the Territory and

368-482: A drinking fountain are available at all times. The park gives direct access to the Provo River Parkway Trail and has over 100 off-street parking spaces. The park has a unique boulder playground and a large field making it great for people of all ages. Nunns Park is a camping spot a little over three miles up Provo Canyon. Named after L.L. Nunn a pioneer of hydroelectric power, he used the flows of

460-636: A few were down-right reprobates. On the other hand, the Mormons had no patience for the federal domination entailed by territorial status and often showed defiance toward the representatives of the federal government. In addition, the Saints sincerely declared their loyalty to the United States and celebrated the Fourth of July every year with unabashed patriotism, but they were undisguisedly critical of

552-403: A first-come, first-served basis, however, you may reserve a pavilion for group use. The beautiful Bridal Veil Falls are located a little over three and a half miles from the mouth of Provo Canyon. Multiple parking lots are available, and a short walk is all it takes to reach the base. Packed with picnic tables and barbeque grill pits make it perfect for nice picnics. Large fish used to swim around

644-526: A group of local Mormon militia. The Mormon militia responsible for the massacre first claimed that the migrants were killed by Natives but it was proven otherwise. This event was later called the Mountain Meadows Massacre , and the motives behind the incident remain unclear. The Aiken Massacre took place the following month. In October 1857, Mormons arrested six Californians traveling through Utah and charged them with being spies for

736-570: A large body of troops. Van Vliet continued on to Washington, D.C., in company with Dr. John M. Bernhisel , Utah Territory's delegate to Congress. There, Van Vliet reported on the situation in the west and became an advocate for the Latter-day Saints and the end of the Utah War. As early as August 5, Young had decided to declare martial law throughout the Territory, and a document was printed to that effect. However, historians question

828-626: A maximum depth of 120 feet. The main water supply for Deer Creek Reservoir is the Provo River, whose headwaters lie in the Uinta Mountains. The water stored by the reservoir is used both domestically and for irrigation by both the Salt Lake and Utah Valleys. By its completion in 1941, Deer Creek Reservoir became the first large man-made reservoir in the state of Utah with a primary purpose of providing culinary water. Until Fall of 1858,

920-677: A paramilitary organization called the Danites . The Danites were formed by a group of Mormons in Missouri in 1838. Most scholars believe that following the end of the Mormon War in the winter of 1838, the unit was partially disbanded. These factors contributed to the popular belief that Mormons "were oppressed by a religious tyranny and kept in submission only by some terroristic arm of the Church ... [However] no Danite band could have restrained

1012-584: A pardon granted to the Mormon settlers for any potential acts of rebellion. This settlement significantly reduced the tensions and allowed for the re-establishment of federal authority over the territory while largely preserving Mormon interests and autonomy. In 1857–1858, President James Buchanan sent U.S. forces to the Utah Territory in what became known as the Utah Expedition. Members of

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1104-589: A reconnaissance unit were sent east from Salt Lake City with orders to observe the oncoming American regiments and protect LDS emigrants traveling on the Mormon trail . On July 18, 1857, U.S. Army Captain Stewart Van Vliet , an assistant quartermaster, and a small escort were ordered to proceed directly from Kansas to Salt Lake City, ahead of the main body of troops. Van Vliet carried a letter to Young from General Harney ordering Young to make arrangements for

1196-472: A set of political-economic institutions that were established with the purpose of regulating the United States economy during the Great Depression. Public construction throughout the nation had mostly disappeared due to the poor economic climate. The Public Works Administration was a New Deal institution that was created to combat the lack of civil construction in the Great Depression economy. After

1288-547: Is accessed by US-189 and SR-92 . Sundance ski resort was originally named Timp Haven , but the name was changed to Sundance when Robert Redford bought Timp Haven Ski Resort in 1969 Redford revamped the resort into a Mecca for film producers through his institution of the Sundance Film Festival . Sundance is widely known for its skiing, but the resort also offers activities during the summer, including mountain biking, hiking, and scenic lift rides. Vivian Park

1380-481: Is located directly above the famous Bridal Veil Falls , and numerous avalanches over the years have caused dramatic damage to the area. In March 1924, a slew of avalanches killed two workers who were working to clear railroad tracks of previous avalanche debris. Seventy-two years later, another avalanche came down the same Bridal Veil Falls slide path and destroyed both the Bridal Veil store and tram house. During

1472-496: Is located five miles from the mouth of Provo Canyon and was originally run as a resort. Many of the homes in Vivian Park were weekend getaways for residents living in nearby Provo and Orem, and the land directly south of the Provo River was occupied by a restaurant, store, and post office. Vivian Park was named after Vivian McBride, a young girl whose parents owned and operated the store and post office. In 1974, Vivian Park became

1564-481: The 2nd Dragoons , was kept in Kansas for the same reason. Because of Harney's unavailability, Col. Edmund Alexander was charged with the first detachment of troops headed for Utah. However, the overall command was assigned to Col. Albert Sidney Johnston , who did not leave Kansas until much later. As it was, July was already far into the campaigning season, and the army and their supply train were unprepared for winter in

1656-606: The Latter Day Saint movement . Brigham Young and other LDS Church leaders believed that the isolation of Utah would secure the rights of Mormons and would ensure the free practice of their religion. Although the United States had gained control of the settled parts of Alta California and Nuevo México in 1846 in the early stages of the Mexican–American War , legal transfer of the Mexican Cession to

1748-675: The United Order , also violated the principles of republicanism as well as the philosophy of laissez-faire economics. James Strang , a rival to Brigham Young who also claimed succession to the leadership of the church after Joseph Smith's death, elevated these fears by proclaiming himself a king and resettling his followers on Beaver Island in Lake Michigan , after the main body of the LDS Church had fled to Utah. People also believed that Brigham Young maintained power through

1840-660: The Utah Expedition , the Utah Campaign , Buchanan's Blunder , the Mormon War , or the Mormon Rebellion , was an armed confrontation between Mormon settlers in the Utah Territory and the armed forces of the US government . The confrontation lasted from May 1857 to July 1858. The conflict primarily involved Mormon settlers and federal troops, escalating from tensions over governance and autonomy within

1932-578: The Army directly, the Mormon strategy was one of hindering and weakening them. Daniel H. Wells , Lieutenant-General of the Nauvoo Legion , instructed Major Joseph Taylor: On ascertaining the locality or route of the troops, proceed at once to annoy them in every possible way. Use every exertion to stampede their animals and set fire to their trains. Burn the whole country before them and on their flanks. Keep them from sleeping by night surprises; blockade

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2024-634: The Church and to send with him sufficient military aid to enforce his rule. This account was further supported by Territorial Chief Justice Kinney in reports to Washington, where he recited examples of what he believed to be Brigham Young's perversion of Utah's judicial system and further urged his removal from office and the establishment of a one-regiment U.S. Army garrison in the territory. There were further charges of treason, battery, theft, and fraud made by other officials, including Federal Surveyors and Federal Indian Agents. Furniss states that most federal reports from Utah to Washington "left unclear whether

2116-574: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), also known as Mormons or Latter-day Saints, fearful that the large U.S. military force had been sent to annihilate them and having faced persecution in other areas, made preparations for defense. Though bloodshed was to be avoided, and the U.S. government also hoped that its purpose might be attained without the loss of life, both sides prepared for war. The Mormons manufactured or repaired firearms, turned scythes into bayonets, and burnished and sharpened long-unused sabres . Rather than engaging

2208-692: The Democratic principle of popular sovereignty with the party's acceptance of polygamy in Utah and turned this accusation into a formidable political weapon. Popular sovereignty was the theoretical basis of the Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854. This concept was meant to remove the divisive issue of slavery in the Territories from the national debate, allowing local decision-making and forestalling armed conflict between

2300-581: The Governor of Missouri, who issued the infamous Extermination Order . Mormons' state of mind was further alarmed when they learned in late June 1857 that LDS Apostle Parley P. Pratt had recently been murdered while serving a mission in Arkansas. Fearing the worst, Young ordered residents throughout Utah territory to prepare for evacuation, making plans to burn their homes and property and stockpile food and stock feed. Guns were manufactured, and ammunition

2392-641: The Heber Creeper started to run more and more infrequently until 1968, when the Heber Creeper stopped running altogether. The railroad sat dormant until 1992, when the Heber Valley Historic Railroad Authority (a state agency) was created to take charge of the railroad, and now a few fun, tourist-oriented trains per week run from Heber to Vivian Park. Sundance Mountain Resort is a ski resort located up Provo Canyon and

2484-454: The Indians (who often differentiated between "Americans" and "Mormons"), acceptance of the common law , the criminal jurisdiction of probate courts , the Mormon use of ecclesiastical courts rather than the federal court system for civil matters, the legitimacy of land titles, water rights, and various other issues. Many of the federal officers were also appalled by the practice of polygamy and

2576-582: The Latter-day Saint community and were genuinely mourned for their deaths. Others had severe difficulties adjusting to the Mormon-dominated territorial government and the unique Mormon culture. Historian Norman Furniss writes that although some of these appointees were basically honest and well-meaning, many were highly prejudiced against the Mormons even before they arrived in the territory and woefully unqualified for their positions, while

2668-409: The Mormon belief system in general and would harangue the Mormons for their "lack of morality" in public addresses. This already tense situation was further exacerbated by a period of intense religious revival starting in late 1856 dubbed the " Mormon Reformation ". Beginning in 1851, a number of federal officers, some claiming that they feared for their physical safety, left their Utah appointments for

2760-467: The Mormon fortifications then being built in Echo Canyon (see below). Upon returning to the main body of the army, Van Vliet reported that the Latter-day Saints would not resort to actual hostilities but would seek to delay the troops in every way possible. He also reported that they were ready to burn their homes and destroy their crops and that the route through Echo Canyon would be a death trap for

2852-463: The Mormon militia, called the Nauvoo Legion , and the U.S. Army involved some destruction of property and a few brief skirmishes in what is today southwestern Wyoming , but no battles occurred between the contending military forces. At the height of the tensions, on September 11, 1857, at least 120 California-bound settlers from Arkansas , Missouri and other states, including unarmed men, women, and children, were killed in remote southwestern Utah by

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2944-554: The Mormons but to enter the territory, enforce the laws under the direction of the new governor, and defend themselves if attacked. Although the Utah Expedition had begun to gather as early as May under orders from General Winfield Scott , the first soldiers did not leave Fort Leavenworth , Kansas, until 18 July 1857. The troops were originally led by Gen. William S. Harney . However, affairs in " Bleeding Kansas " forced Harney to remain behind to deal with skirmishes between pro-slavery and free-soiler militants. The Expedition's cavalry,

3036-525: The North and South. But during the campaign, the Republican Party denounced the theory as protecting polygamy. Such leading Democrats as Stephen A. Douglas , formerly an ally of the Latter-day Saints began to denounce Mormonism in order to save the concept of popular sovereignty for issues related to slavery. The Democrats believed that American attitudes toward polygamy had the potential of derailing

3128-559: The President with the advice and consent of the Senate, but without any reference to the will of Utah's population—as was standard for all territorial administration. Some federal officials sent by the President maintained essentially harmonious relationships with the Mormons. For instance, from 1853 to 1855, the territorial supreme court was composed of two non-Mormons and one Mormon. However, both of these non-Mormons were well respected in

3220-402: The President would not wait. Under massive popular and political pressure, President Buchanan decided to take decisive action against the Mormons soon after his inauguration on March 4, 1857. President Buchanan first decided to appoint a new governor in place of Brigham Young. The position was offered to several individuals who refused, and the President finally settled on Alfred Cumming during

3312-547: The Provo River to create the first 44,000-volt hydropower powerplant in America. The plant provided power for mining operations in the canyon, but the grounds would eventually be sold to Utah County as a park site. Offering two pavilions, picnic tables with BBQ grills, eight fire pits, restrooms, and drinking water. Direct access to the Equestrian Trailhead as well as the Provo River Parkway Trail. The park works on

3404-713: The Public Works Administration was established in June 1933, residents in the Utah Valley region began to request that a dam and reservoir be constructed on the Provo River in order to create jobs and facilitate agriculture. Deer Creek Reservoir was constructed southwest of Heber City, Utah on the Wasatch side of Provo Canyon. When filled to capacity, the reservoir stretches seven miles long and three-quarters mile wide with an area of 150,000 acre feet and

3496-562: The Rocky Mountains. The army was not given instructions on how to react in case of resistance. The Mormons' lack of information on the army's mission created apprehension and led to their defensive preparations. While rumors spread during the spring that an army was coming to Utah and Brigham Young had been replaced as governor, this was not confirmed until late July. Mormon mail contractors, including Porter Rockwell and Abraham O. Smoot , received word in Missouri that their contract

3588-457: The Saints raise their hands in a unanimous resolution to guard against any 'invader ' ". Van Vliet found it impossible to persuade resentful Mormon leaders that the Army had peaceful intentions. He quickly recognized that supplies or accommodations for the Army would not be forthcoming. But Young told Van Vliet that the Mormons did not desire war, and "if we can keep the peace for this winter, I do think there will be something turned up that may save

3680-407: The Saints vacillated between all-out war, a more limited confrontation, and retreat. An alliance with the Indians was central to Young's strategy for war, although his relations with them had been strained since the settlers' arrival in 1847. Young had generally adopted a policy of conversion and conciliation towards native tribes. Some Mormon leaders encouraged intermarriage with the Indians so that

3772-498: The Territorial Legislature, which largely consisted of popularly elected Latter-day Saints. Additionally, LDS Church leaders counseled Latter-day Saints to use ecclesiastical arbitration to resolve disputes among church members before resorting to the more explicit legal system. Both President Buchanan and the U.S. Congress saw these acts as obstructing, if not subverting, the operation of legitimate institutions of

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3864-402: The Territory, he believed his religious authority was more important among a nearly homogeneous population of Mormons. Young and the Mormon community feared renewed persecution and possibly annihilation by a large body of federal troops. Mormons remembered previous conflicts when they had lived near numerous non-Mormons. In 1838, they were driven from Missouri into Illinois under the direction of

3956-405: The U.S. Army. They were released but were later murdered and robbed of their stock and $ 25,000. Other incidents of violence have also been linked to the Utah War, including a Native American attack on the Mormon mission of Fort Lemhi in eastern Oregon Territory , modern-day Idaho . They killed two Mormons and wounded several others. The historian Brigham Madsen notes, "[T]he responsibility for

4048-558: The U.S. came only with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ending the war in 1848. LDS Church leaders understood that they were not "leaving the political orbit of the United States", nor did they want to. When gold was discovered in California in 1848 at Sutter's Mill , which sparked the famous California Gold Rush , thousands of migrants began moving west on trails that passed directly through territory settled by Mormon pioneers. Although

4140-566: The Uinta Basin; therefore, Provo Canyon provided an essential connection so that these Native Americans could communicate and interact more effectively amongst themselves. The Mormon settlers saw the Provo Canyon as a feasible route for expansion into the valleys beyond the Wasatch Mountains. On January 19, 1855, The Provo Road company was established with the purpose of constructing a road that ran through Provo Canyon. By July 1858

4232-447: The United States. Numerous newspaper articles continued sensationalizing Mormon beliefs and exaggerated earlier accounts of conflicts with frontier settlers. These stories led many Americans to believe that Mormon leaders were petty tyrants and that Mormons were determined to create a Zionist , polygamous kingdom in the newly acquired territories. Many felt that these sensationalized beliefs, along with early communitarian practices of

4324-516: The Utah Territory under Brigham Young. Young had been appointed territorial Governor by Millard Fillmore. In addition to popular election, many early LDS Church leaders received quasi-political administrative appointments at both the territorial and federal level that coincided with their ecclesiastical roles, including the powerful probate judges . In analogy to the federal procedure, these executive and judicial appointments were confirmed by

4416-608: The Wasatch mountain range. The Heber Valley Historic Railroad operates passenger trains through the canyon. U.S. route 189 connects Provo and Orem with Heber City to the east. In early settlement, this route facilitated the settlement of communities to the east of the Wasatch Mountains . Soon after permanently settling in the Salt Lake Valley, President Brigham Young of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints began to send colonizing parties throughout

4508-576: The [Fort Limhi raid] lay mainly with the Bannock ." David Bigler concludes that the raid was probably caused by members of the Utah Expedition who were trying to replenish their stores of livestock that had been stolen by Mormon raiders. Taking all incidents into account, William MacKinnon estimated that approximately 150 people died as a direct result of the year-long Utah War, including the 120 migrants killed at Mountain Meadows. He points out that this

4600-422: The [Mormons] habitually kicked their dogs; otherwise, their calendar of infamy in Utah was complete". As early as 1852, Dr. John M. Bernhisel , Utah's Mormon delegate to Congress, had suggested that an impartial committee be sent to investigate the actual conditions in the territory. This call for an investigation was renewed during the crisis of 1857 by Bernhisel and even by Senator Stephen A. Douglas . However,

4692-402: The canyon, construction of the railroad was completed in 1899. The Heber Valley Railroad , nicknamed the "Heber Creeper," ran twice daily from 1899 to 1930 and transported both cargo and passengers. When US-189 was paved in the early 1930s, passenger and cargo traffic on the Heber Creeper significantly decreased because people and goods started using automobiles rather than railroads. As a result,

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4784-406: The citizens of Utah to accommodate and supply the troops once they arrived. However, Harney's letter did not mention that Young had been replaced as governor, nor did it detail what the mission of the troops would be once they arrived, and these omissions sparked even greater distrust among the Saints. On his journey, reports reached Van Vliet that his company might be in danger from Mormon raiders on

4876-488: The compromise on slavery . For the Democrats, attacks on Mormonism had the dual purpose of disentangling polygamy from popular sovereignty and distracting the nation from the ongoing battles over slavery. In March 1852, the Utah Territory passed Acts that legalized black slavery and Indian slavery . Many east-coast politicians, such as U.S. President James Buchanan, were alarmed by the semi- theocratic dominance of

4968-641: The conflict in Illinois . The Nauvoo Legion was under the command of Daniel H. Wells and consisted of all able-bodied men between 15 and 60. Young ordered the Legion to take delaying actions, essentially harassing federal troops. He planned to buy time for the Mormon settlements to prepare for either battle or evacuation and create a window for negotiations with the Buchanan Administration. Thus, in mid-August, militia Colonel Robert T. Burton and

5060-471: The damned rascals that administer the government." The Mormons also maintained a governmental and legal regime in "Zion", which they believed was perfectly permissible under the Constitution, but which was fundamentally different from that espoused in the rest of the country. The Latter-day Saints and federal appointees in the Territory faced continual dispute. These conflicts regarded relations with

5152-415: The destruction of the law offices of U.S. Federal Judge Stiles and expressed concern that he (Young) might suffer the same fate as the previous Mormon leader, Joseph Smith, to which Van Vliet replied, "I do not think it is the intention of the government to arrest you," said Van Vliet, "but to install a new governor of the territory". Van Vliet's instructions were to buy provisions for the troops and to inform

5244-399: The early and mid 1900s blocked travel and would close Provo Canyon for days, and sometimes weeks, on end. In February 1936, avalanches closed the road for 10 days, and 4 years earlier in 1932, a group of avalanches kept the road closed for over a month. Due to the magnitude of one of the avalanches, a makeshift wooden road was built over the top of it, rather than clearing its debris from off of

5336-494: The east. The stories of these " Runaway Officials " convinced the new President that the Mormons were nearing a state of rebellion against the authority of the United States. According to LDS historians James B. Allen and Glen M. Leonard , the most influential information came from William W. Drummond , an associate justice of the Utah territorial supreme court who began serving in 1854. Drummond's letter of resignation of March 30, 1857, contained charges that Young's power set aside

5428-658: The emigrant wagon trains to keep away from the Territory. Despite Young's efforts, Indians attacked Mormon settlements during the course of the Utah War, including a raid on Fort Limhi on the Salmon River in Oregon Territory in February 1858 and attacks in Tooele County just west of Great Salt Lake City. In early August, Young re-activated the Nauvoo Legion . This was the Mormon militia created during

5520-488: The falls along with the old tram in its climax. Provo Canyon has a long history of avalanches that have blocked travel, caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage, and killed both residents and workers. One of the earliest avalanches in the canyon on record occurred on February 18, 1897 and killed William (Bill) Ferguson, founder of Vivian Park, in his home in South Fork. One of the main slide paths in Provo Canyon

5612-584: The feasibility of it being part of the route for the Transcontinental Railroad . However, the Transcontinental Railroad ended up passing through Ogden, Utah, and not Provo Canyon. Around thirty years later in 1896, The Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad company began surveying Provo Canyon to see where they could begin to construct a railroad. After a years long battle with Lucien L. Nunn over right-of-way issues in

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5704-439: The federal government broke down. During this time period, the leadership of the LDS Church supported polygamy , which Mormons called " plural marriage ". An estimated 20% to 25% of Latter-day Saints were members of polygamous households, with the practice involving approximately one-third of Mormon women who reached marriageable age. The Mormons in territorial Utah viewed plural marriage as religious doctrine until 1890, when it

5796-408: The federal government, which they felt had driven them out from their homes in the east. Like the contemporary abolitionists , Latter-day Saint leaders declared that the judgments of God would be meted out upon the nation for its unrighteousness. Brigham Young echoed the opinion of many Latter-day Saints when he declared "I love the government and the Constitution of the United States, but I do not love

5888-471: The flight of freedom-loving men from a Territory possessed of many exits; yet a flood of emigrants poured into Utah each year, with only a trickle ... ebbing back." These circumstances were not helped by the relationship between " Gentile " (non-Mormon) federal appointees and the Mormon territorial leadership. The territory's Organic Act held that the governor, federal judges, and other important territorial positions were to be filled by appointees chosen by

5980-409: The intent of this proclamation as it was never widely circulated, if at all, and while copies of the document exist, there is no mention of it in any contemporary sources. One commentary opines that "during most of August, the Mormon leaders had not precisely focused on a strategy for dealing with the approaching army; and after the first proclamation was struck off, they likely had second thoughts about

6072-525: The migrants brought opportunities for trade, they also ended the Mormons' short-lived isolation. In 1849, the Mormons proposed that a large part of the territory that they inhabited be incorporated into the United States as the State of Deseret . Their primary concern was to be governed by men of their own choosing rather than "unsympathetic carpetbag appointees", who they believed would be sent from Washington, D.C. if their region were given territorial status, as

6164-493: The mouth of Provo Canyon through the canyon, [and] through Kamas Prairie.” Construction on the road began, and significant progress was made, but work on the road stopped in 1857 due to the ongoing Utah War . A year later, residents in nearby Provo were eager to see the road completed, so they met with Brigham Young on June 6, 1858 and formed the Provo Canyon Road Company. With this newfound drive to complete

6256-419: The nearby regions. In 1849, Brigham Young sent a group of settlers to Utah Valley to colonize what is modern-day Provo, Utah. The group consisted of about 30 different families and 150 settlers in total. The land was attractive to these settlers for its abundance of fresh water. The Timpanogos Utes of the region were known as “fish-eaters” denoting a degree of abundance in that particular food source. Upon arrival,

6348-471: The only established travel route through Provo Canyon was an old Indian trail on the north side of the canyon.  In 1852, explorer William Gardner was the first person to propose that a road be built in Provo Canyon. Nothing came of this proposal until 1855 when the Utah Legislature granted William Wall, Evan M. Green, Thomas S. Williams, and Aaron Johnson the right to, “...build a toll road from

6440-483: The party was immediately confronted by a Timpanogos Ute near the Provo River at the mouth of Provo Canyon. The Native American demanded that the settlers return to where they came from and warned them of conflict if they were to stay. The settlers quickly built fortifications and were soon able to obtain permission from the Timpanogos chief to remain in the valley. The Timpanogos Utes resided in both Utah Valley and

6532-530: The peaceful entrance of the U.S. Army into Utah. Mormons began settling in what is now Utah (then part of Alta California in the Centralist Republic of Mexico ) in the summer of 1847. Mormon pioneers began leaving the United States for Utah after a series of severe conflicts with neighboring communities in Missouri and Illinois resulted, in 1844, in the death of Joseph Smith , founder of

6624-642: The people of Utah that the troops would only be employed as a posse comitatus when called on by the civil authority to aid in the execution of the laws. Van Vliet's arrival in Salt Lake City was welcomed cautiously by the Mormon leadership. Van Vliet had been previously known by the Latter-day Saints in Iowa, and they trusted and respected him. However, he found the residents of Utah determined to defend themselves. He interviewed leaders and townspeople and "attended Sunday services, heard emotional speeches, and saw

6716-549: The river's instability. Successfully constructing a hydroelectric project requires a lot of careful speculation and preparation. In 1899 the Telluride Power Company constructed and successfully operated Nunn's Station. Nunn's Station was the first 40,000 Volt hydroelectric producer in the world, making long-distance high voltage transmission possible. The meticulous planning that went into the construction of Nunn's Station provided jobs and economic growth throughout

6808-542: The road by felling trees or destroying the river fords where you can. Watch for opportunities to set fire to the grass on their windward so as, if possible, to envelop their trains. Leave no grass before them that can be burned. Keep your men concealed as much as possible, and guard against surprise. The Mormons blocked the army's entrance into the Salt Lake Valley , and weakened the U.S. Army by hindering them from receiving provisions. The confrontation between

6900-422: The road reached Kamas City, UT (then known as Kamas Prairie). After the Utah Valley settlers claimed Provo Canyon by building a road through it, the canyon soon became home to residential communities and a string of public works projects. Throughout the latter years of the 19th century, many individuals attempted to harvest the Provo River's current into electricity. However, their results were inconsistent due to

6992-480: The road, it was finished in the Fall of 1858. Since its construction in 1858, US-189 (Provo Canyon Road) has seen improvements in quality and size. The road was first paved in the early 1930s, and In 1992, the expansion of US-189 from two lanes to four lanes was completed. The first attempt to build a railroad through Provo Canyon came when the United States government sent a surveying team out to Provo Canyon to determine

7084-658: The road. 40°19′45″N 111°37′33″W  /  40.32917°N 111.62583°W  / 40.32917; -111.62583 Provo River Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.226 via cp1108 cp1108, Varnish XID 225296141 Upstream caches: cp1108 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 08:47:12 GMT Utah War Inconclusive Utah War Peace Commission United States Army The Utah War (1857–1858), also known as

7176-404: The rule of law in the territory, that the Mormons had ignored the laws of Congress and the Constitution, and that male Mormons acknowledged no law but the priesthood. He further charged the Church with murder, destruction of federal court records, harassment of federal officers, and slandering the federal government. He concluded by urging the president to appoint a governor who was not a member of

7268-448: The shedding of blood". However, marking a change from earlier pronouncements, Young declared that under threat from an approaching army, he would not allow the new governor and federal officers to enter Utah. Nevertheless, Van Vliet told Young that he believed that the Mormons "have been lied about the worst of any people I ever saw". He promised to stop the Utah Expedition on his own authority, and on September 14, he returned east through

7360-506: The summer. While Young became aware of the change in territorial administration through press reports and other sources, he received no official notification of his replacement until Cumming arrived in the Territory in November 1857. Buchanan also decided to send a force of 2,500 army troops to build a post in Utah and to act as a posse comitatus once the new governor had been installed. They were ordered not to take offensive action against

7452-499: The surrounding communities. The plant was quickly purchased from Telluride by the Utah Power and Light Company and the station remained in operation until 1940. The area that once was Nunn's Station is currently dedicated to a campground known as Nunn's Park. During the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt 's New Deal policies greatly impacted the inhabitants of Provo Canyon and Utah Valley. This "New Deal" consisted of

7544-410: The territory. There were several casualties, predominantly non-Mormon civilians. Although the war featured no significant military battles, it included the Mountain Meadows Massacre , where Mormon militia members disarmed and murdered about 120 settlers traveling to California. The resolution of the Utah War came through negotiations that permitted federal troops to enter Utah Territory in exchange for

7636-446: The trail. The Captain, therefore, left his escort and proceeded alone. Van Vliet arrived in Salt Lake City on September 8. Historian Harold Schindler states that his mission was to contact Governor Young and inform him of the expedition's mission: to escort the new appointees, to act as a posse comitatus and to establish at least two and perhaps three new U.S. Army camps in Utah. Conversing with Van Vliet, Young denied complicity in

7728-647: The two peoples might "unite together" and their "interests become one". Between August 30 and September 1, Young met with Indian delegations and gave them permission to take all of the livestock then on the northern and southern trails into California (the Fancher Party was at that time on the southern trail). This meeting may have been Young's attempt to win Indian support against the United States and refrain from raids against Mormon settlements. In sermons on August 16 and again one month later, Young publicly urged

7820-563: The water pools at the bottom of the falls. The city provided a quarter-operated machine for fish food to feed them. The fish were removed in 2019. In previous years visitors would take the Bridal Veil Falls to a restaurant on the mountain, however, due to avalanche damage the tram was closed in 1996. Standing at 617 feet the gorgeous falls are a must-see for visitors of the Provo area. The sleeper hit family film "Savanah Smiles" featured

7912-472: The winter, US-189 is closed periodically by the Utah Highway Patrol to allow for avalanche mitigation work to be done. These controlled bombings are done to minimize the amount of natural slides that come down and could potentially bury cars on US-189. Cleanup of these avalanches generally keeps the canyon closed for a few hours at a time, but cleanup has not always been that quick. Avalanches in

8004-540: Was canceled and that the Army was on the move. The men quickly returned to Salt Lake City and notified Brigham Young that U.S. Army units were marching on the Mormons. Young announced the approach of the army to a large group of Latter-day Saints gathered in Big Cottonwood Canyon for Pioneer Day celebrations on 24 July. Young disagreed with Buchanan's choices for governor of the territory. Although Young's secular position simplified his administration of

8096-552: Was cast. Mormon colonists in small outlying communities in the Carson Valley and San Bernardino, California were ordered to leave their homes to consolidate with the main body of Latter-day Saints in Northern and Central Utah. All LDS missionaries serving in the United States and Europe were recalled. Young also sent George A. Smith to the settlements of southern Utah to prepare them for action. Young's strategies to defend

8188-477: Was close to the number of people killed during the seven-year contemporaneous struggle in " Bleeding Kansas ". In the end, negotiations between the United States and the Latter-day Saints resulted in a full pardon for the Latter-day Saints (except those involved in the Mountain Meadows murders), the transfer of Utah's governorship from church president Brigham Young to non-Mormon Alfred Cumming , and

8280-435: Was customary. They believed that only through a state run by church leadership could they maintain their religious freedom. The U.S. Congress created the Utah Territory as part of the Compromise of 1850 . President Millard Fillmore selected Brigham Young, the LDS Church's president , as the first governor of the Territory. The Mormons were pleased by the appointment, but gradually the amicable relationship between Mormons and

8372-427: Was delivered by messenger to Col. Alexander with the approaching army. The most important provision forbade "all armed forces of every description from coming into this Territory, under any pretense whatsoever". It also commanded that "all the forces in said Territory hold themselves in readiness to march at a moment's notice to repel any and all such invasion." But more important to California and Oregon bound travelers

8464-491: Was removed as an official practice of the church by Wilford Woodruff . However, the rest of American society rejected polygamy, and some commentators accused the Mormons of gross immorality. During the Presidential election of 1856 a key plank of the newly formed Republican Party 's platform was a pledge "to prohibit in the territories those twin relics of barbarism: polygamy and slavery". The Republicans associated

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