| DATE 03/09/2005 1:15 PM |
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This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89. Mt. Pleasant’s Pioneers to be Honored March 19 |
| The founding fathers of Sanpete County’s hub city will be honored during a special luncheon March 19 at the Mt. Pleasant Recreation Center, 10 N. State Street.The annual Pioneer’s Day luncheon will be held at 11 a.m. and include a reception, box lunch, and program. The program will feature the Orem performing group “The Good Time Singers.” Two longtime Mt. Pleasant residents, both in their late 80s, will also share their reminisces about growing up in 146-year-old town. “It is really a celebration of the city’s heritage,” says Elna McKay, a member of the Mt. Pleasant Historical Association, which sponsors the annual event. “It is a way for us to honor the pioneers who settled the area. We invite anyone who has ever lived in Mt. Pleasant to attend, and anyone who is interested in Mt. Pleasant. We are also always interested in having new members join,” she says. Cost for the luncheon is $5.The annual celebratory lunch is one of the two main programs supported by the Mt. Pleasant Historical Association. The group also looks after Relic House, a museum that displays relics ranging from pioneer quilts and clothing to blacksmith shop tools and equipment.
The association recently renovated a bedroom in the house, including wallpapering, sanding the floors, and cleaning and repairing linens and furniture. “We’ve worked very hard on it,” McKay says. The group also just purchased a historical log cabin that they plan to move on to the property. “We have a lot of old blacksmith tools and equipment and we needed a place to display and store them,” McKay says. Relic House was one of the first homes in Mt. Pleasant to be built outside of the fort that housed the area’s first settlers. Mt. Pleasant City was officially founded in 1859. Nearly two-thirds of the city’s earliest settlers were Scandinavian pioneers who immigrated to Utah from Canada, the United States and England. For more information on the Pioneer Day Luncheon, contact McKay at (435) 462-2787. # # # |
| For more information Contact:Monte Bona Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council (435) 462-2502 |
Sanpete County Aims to Add More ‘Preserve America’ Communities to its List – Press Release 2/20/2005
| DATE 02/20/2005 7:36 PM |
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89. Sanpete County Aims to Add More ‘Preserve America’ Communities to its List |
| Sanpete County is the proud home of two of Utah’s four Preserve America communities, and local preservationists and government leaders would like to see the numbers increase this year. Preserve America is a White House initiative that encourages and supports community efforts to preserve cultural and natural heritage. It is chaired by First Lady Laura Bush. Currently, 220 communities throughout the United States carry the designation, including Mt. Pleasant and Manti.“We’d like to see cities and town all throughout Sanpete County become Preserve American communities,” says Monte Bona, a member of the Mt. Pleasant City Council and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance. Communities apply for the designation through the national agency. The most recent communities were announced by Mrs. Bush earlier this month, and the next quarterly deadline for applications is March 1. “We are encouraging our communities that have projects and programs that convey their national heritage to apply for the program,” Bona says.
Mt. Pleasant received its designation in August 2004 and Manti in November 2004. Mt. Pleasant was recognized for its preservation efforts and enjoyment of its historical and cultural resources is an important part of the country’s heritage. “You honor our nation’s past and inspire and educate for the future,” Mrs. Bush wrote in a letter to the community. “As your community shares its story with residents and visitors, you set a great example for others.” Manti was honored for its use of Old City Hall was a museum and travel and information center, and praised for the more than 4,200 community volunteer hours that went into revitalizing the building. The use of Old City Hall as a travel information center is an important component of Manti’s participation in regional efforts to promote tourism along Highway 89, the spine of the proposed Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area. Reuse of the building is also a cornerstone of an ongoing Main Street Enhancement Project. The Manti Historic Preservation Commission, which was established in 2003, was also recognized by Preserve America for playing a vital role, as is the effort to have parts of the city listed in the National Register of Places as a historic district. “Manti is being established as our county seat,” Bona says. “This designation, as well as the development of the Mormon Pioneer Heritage Center, which is being developed in coordination with Snow College and Utah State University, is among the reason’s the city is key to our development efforts.” The proposed Mormon Pioneer Heritage Center will coordinate research and extension efforts in recreation, heritage tourism and agriculture, and is closely connected to the proposed bill by Sen. Bob Bennett to establish a Mormon Pioneer Heritage Area. The goals of Preserve America include a greater shared knowledge about the Nation’s past; strengthened regional identities and local pride; increased local participation in preserving the country’s cultural and natural heritage assets; and support for the economic vitality of communities. Communities designated through the program receive national recognition for their efforts. Benefits include use of the Preserve America logo, listing in a government Web-based directory to showcase preservation and heritage tourism efforts, and eligibility for special existing and proposed Preserve America grants and funding through various government agencies. For more information, including brief profiles of the communities, application forms, and procedures, visit www.PreserveAmerica.gov/communities.html. # # # |
| For more information Contact:Monte Bona Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council (435) 462-2502 |
Life of “Big Daddy” Roth Subject of New Movie – Press Release 2/12/2005
| DATE 02/12/2005 4:19 PM |
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89. Life of “Big Daddy” Roth Subject of New Movie |
| The life of Manti’s “Big Daddy” Roth is coming to the big screen.Toronto film maker Ron Mann is making a documentary about the late Ed Roth, who was famous for designing and building hotrod cars, including the Beatnik Bandit, and for creating the 1960s cartoon character Rat Fink and related paraphernalia. Roth, who moved to Manti from California in 1987, died in April 2001 at the age of 69.
The movie, Confessions of a Hot Roddin’, Pinstripin’, Kustomizin’, Teenage Icon, is set to be released later this year. “I am so happy to have a movie that will preserve Ed’s legacy,” says Ilene Roth, Ed Roth’s widow and the Sanpete County auditor. She and her late husband met with Mann in 2000 when he came to Utah to discuss the film. “Ed was very excited about having a movie produced to spotlight his creations with Rat Fink and fiberglass cars. It was his dream and it will soon be a reality.” An avid hotrod enthusiast from the age of 12, Ed Roth started out by fixing up old cars in his garage. He then moved on to building cars from scratch and quickly became known as an artist rather than a mechanic, with his creations earning the title “sculptures on wheels.” He financed his passion by making cartoons and T-shirts, including drawings of cars and monsters driving cars. His most famous cartoon character was a rodent named Rat Fink, which became very popular in the 1960s and was featured on posters, T-shirts, rings and more. Every year, Ilene Roth holds a “Rat Fink Reunion” celebration to honor the life of her late husband. This year’s reunion will be held May 12-14. The weekend attracts hundreds of his fans from around the world. One of the reunion’s special events is an open house at the “museum” Ilene Roth built on to her house to showcase Ed Roth’s creations. His art work is framed and hanging on the walls, and other memorabilia is on display. The museum is also open to the public year-round by appointment. # # # |
| For more information Contact:Monte Bona Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council (435) 462-2502 |
Highway Alliance Has High Hopes for Bennett Bill This Session; Keeping Eye on State Tourism Legislation – Press Release 2/7/2005
| DATE 02/07/2005 12:23 PM |
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89. Highway Alliance Has High Hopes for Bennett Bill This Session; |
| The third time is the charm. At least, that is what members of the Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance are hoping for with Sen. Bob Bennett’s National Mormon Pioneer Heritage Area bill.The legislation, which would designate a 300-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 89 as a heritage area, is scheduled to be heard by the Senate during its 109th session this year. The bill has passed the Senate twice previously, but both times was bogged down in the House of Representatives and failed to pass before Congress adjourned.
“Rep. Chris Cannon has assured us that he will work very hard to get the bill heard in the House this session,” says Monte Bona, a member of the alliance and Mt. Pleasant City Council. “We are hoping that the bill is approved by both houses this year. It has been a long wait.” Meanwhile, Bona, along with other local preservation and government officials, is keeping a close eye on legislation before the Utah Legislature — Senate Bill 7. It pertains to promoting tourism in Utah, and Bona hopes part of its focus will be on heritage tourism. “Utah has long been known as a place to ski and visit beautiful national parks, and we support continuing to promote these assets,” Bona says. “But we’d also like to see the state focus on its heritage tourism attractions.” Heritage tourism is the fastest-growing segment in the tourism industry in America. Utah has some of the most outstanding heritage tourism attractions in the country, including Temple Square, Old Deseret Village and This Is The Place State Park, and attractions along U.S. Highway 89 from Cache Valley to Kanab, Bona says. “The cities and towns along the heritage highway are the best remaining examples of how Mormon pioneers colonized in Utah.” Highlighting the region’s heritage was the impetus behind the Bennett bill, he adds. “The purpose of the designation is first to recognize Mormon heritage, and second, to promote tourism and economic development in the area,” Bona says. The National Mormon Pioneer Heritage Area would include six counties: Sanpete, Sevier, Piute, Wayne, Garfield and Kane. It also includes the All-American Road Highway 12 and Highway 24, which branch off from U.S. 89. The national designation would mean that the counties would receive $10 million over the next decade in federal funds for marketing, preservation and related projects. Currently, the Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance promotes attractions in the cities and town along U.S. Highway 89 in a number of ways. It has created a brochure “The Artisans and Crafters of Utah’s Heritage Highway 89,” that features the products created by artists and craft makers along the highway. The alliance has also produced documentaries, including Stories Along U.S. Highway 89, which features the people, places and history of Highway 89, and includes in-depth interviews and historical re-enactments. The alliance has also organized tours for writers and the general public, and promotes special events that take place along the historical route and celebrate the region’s heritage. # # # |
| For more information Contact:Monte Bona Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council (435) 462-2502 |
Fountain Green Hosts “Bald Eagle Day” Visitors will see, learn about the nation’s bird – Press Release 1/29/2005
| DATE 01/29/2005 4:26 PM |
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This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89. Fountain Green Hosts “Bald Eagle Day” |
| Sanpete County residents, along with people traveling down the Heritage Highway, U.S. Highway 89, will get a chance to see and learn about bald eagles Saturday, Feb. 5 as the Utah State Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) hosts its annual Bald Eagle Day.The event will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Fountain Green State Fish Hatchery, located one mile north of Fountain Green. A sign will be posted along the main roadways directing people to an access road that leads to the hatchery. Similar events are being held throughout the state the same day.
“Spotting scopes will be set up at each viewing site, and DWR biologists and volunteers will be available to help viewers spot eagles and to answer any questions they may have,” says Bob Walters, Watchable Wildlife coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources. Displays also will be set up at each location and pamphlets and other materials about bald eagles will be available. Walters advises those attending to dress warmly and, if there’s snow on the ground, to wear waterproof boots. For those interested in photographing the eagles a telephoto lens is a must, as the eagles will be some distance from the viewing areas. “Photographers who don’t bring the proper equipment and try to get close to the eagles for a better shot will most likely scare them away, losing their chance to photograph them and ruining the viewing experience for all those who attend,” Walters says. Walters started Bald Eagle Day in 1990 as a way to introduce people to Utah’s wildlife. Since it began Bald Eagle Day has grown into Utah’s most well-attended, and one of its most enjoyed, wildlife-viewing events. For more information about Bald Eagle Day, call Scott Root at 801-491-5656. # # # |
| For more information Contact:Monte Bona Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council (435) 462-2502 |
Wasatch Academy Celebrates 130th Birthday; Plans Events to Promote School, Heritage – Press Release 1/24/2005
| DATE 01/24/2005 7:28 AM |
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89. Wasatch Academy Celebrates 130th Birthday; |
| Wasatch Academy, one of Utah’s oldest schools, is celebrating its 130th birthday this year, and students, faculty, parents, alumni and the greater community are invited to join in the festivities.Located in Mt. Pleasant, the academy was founded in 1875. Covering 17 acres in Sanpete County’s hub city, the academy boasts some of oldest building in the region. In fact, the entire campus, which includes classrooms, a gymnasium, dormitories, a large playing field, homes for faculty and a museum, has earned historical designation. It continues to be an attraction along Utah’s heritage highway, U.S. Highway 89.Special events to mark the 130th birthday include Parents’ Day Feb. 4-6, which brings students families to campus for a weekend of celebrations and excursions. This year, there will be a ski trip, a dinner and fund-raising auction. Parents will also attend parent/teacher conferences, and have opportunities to interact with their Childs teachers and classmates.
April 16, the school will hold its annual Founder’s Day, and events and activities will promote the history and future of the school. As part of its’ year-long birthday celebration, Wasatch Academy also hopes to increase awareness of its offerings in the community and throughout Utah. “We are very interested in finding more ways to promote the school within Mt. Pleasant and the entire state, especially in terms of how we fit in and contribute to the heritage highway,” says Vern Fisher, the school’s development director. “We are interested in having people come see the campus and go on tours. For example, we have a museum that is quite amazing. We also have 12 original Stansfield painting displayed throughout the campus and 14 original Ansel Adams photos displayed in the new student center. The Ansel Adams photos were donated to the school by the artist (, whose grandson was one of our students.” The private boarding school, which has a reputation for outstanding academics and individualized student attention, has some 146 students enrolled in grades 9 through 12. The academy, accredited by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges since 1939, is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools and the College Board. Wasatch Academy’s students come from 14 different countries and 24 states. About 14 of its students are “day students,” meaning they attend classes and school functions, but live with their families in the community. “We have kids from all walks of life, there are many different cultures represented,” Fisher says. “The diversity that the school helps bring into rural Utah is absolutely phenomenal.” Most of the students start in ninth grade and stay through their senior years. “In fact, just this week, the start of spring semester, we had 20 new students join us, most of them freshmen. With our retention rate, we expect most of them to stay for four years,” Fisher says. Not only do students come from around the world, the school also has special international programs. One is its Tibetan scholarship. “Every four years, we get two new Tibetan students. They literally arrive here with nothing, they often come straight from refugee camps in Nepal,” Fisher says. “Two new students will soon be joining us soon, as two of our current Tibetan students are about to graduate. This is the second group of students we’ve had. Students who have gone through the program stay in the United States for school and then plan to return to their country.” Another unique component at Wasatch is the interaction among students, faculty and staff. The school has about 50 full-time and 25 part-time employees, with 50 percent of the faculty and staff living on campus. Faculty and staff interact with students all day, including at meals and after-hours study sessions, often held in the faculty member’s homes in the evenings. “There is excellent one-on-one time between students and faculty. The structure of the students’ life in regard to their study habits is one of Wasatch’s best attributes,” Fisher says. “Wasatch Academy is truly a community inside a community. For example, all meals are eaten in the dining hall. Families of our teachers and staff are all encouraged to join the students and teachers for meals.” There is also a day-care on campus for children of employees. Students also mingle with the community, regularly going on outings and excursions such as shopping sprees, movies or ski trips. The school’s cross-country ski team participates with the public school’s districts’ team, and they are currently looking into creating a joint La Crosse team. “Throughout the years, we’ve had a good relationship and association with the city and public school district. Today there is a synergy coming together. We are working hand- in- hand for the betterment of the city as whole,” Fisher says. The school also has extensive extra-curricular activities, one being its outstanding debate program. Last year, the school hosted the world debate championships, an event that attracted participants from around the world to Mt. Pleasant. Recently, Wasatch Academy was designed at the location for the National World debate semi-finals to be held annually. This year’s competition will be Jan. 21-23. “This is a permanent designation,” Fisher says, adding it is the first such honour for a Western U.S. school. For more information, visit Wasatch Academy’s website at www.wacad.org # # # |
| For more information Contact:Monte Bona Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council (435) 462-2502 |
Film On Heritage Highway Wins Prestigious National Award – Press Release 1/17/
| DATE 01/17/2005 12:02 PM |
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89. Film On Heritage Highway Wins Prestigious National Award |
| The film “Stories Along U.S. Highway 89,” produced by Rob Sibley of KBYU and featuring the people, places and history of Utah’s Heritage Highway, has earned “Gold Finalist” distinction at the annual MarCom Creative Awards.The prestigious MarCom Creative Awards is an international competition for marketing and communications professionals. It includes print, visual and audio materials and entries came from corporate marketing and communications departments, advertising agencies, graphic design shops and freelancers. The awards are part of the Communicator Awards, one of the largest, oldest and most respected competitions in the communications field.The film which was filmed along U.S. Highway, including in Sanpete County, includes in-depth interviews and historical re-enactments. It focuses on themes relevant to the Heritage Highway and features the natural landscape along the highway. The film was produced so that the individual segments can also run as stand-alone five-minute “infomercials” on public television stations.
The documentary focuses on 10 themes: Native Americans, Mormon pioneers, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Utah ghost towns, movie making, national parks and recreation areas, hidden treasures, John D. Lee, artists, and the Mountains Meadow Massacre. It includes interviews with people who participated in the “Famous and Infamous Along U.S. Highway 89” lecture series. The series was held throughout the cities and towns along the heritage highway as a way of informing the public of the route’s history and influence. Last year, Stories Along U.S. Highway 89 received a Best of State medal, the premier public forum for awards and recognition in the state of Utah. The competition is dedicated to promoting higher visibility and public awareness for outstanding individuals, businesses. The film has also won a prestigious Videographer’s Award. The film premiered on BYU-TV worldwide TV and aired on KBYU-Channel 11. # # # |
| For more information Contact:Monte Bona Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council (435) 462-2502 |
