All posts by Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area

Kanab Artist “Speaks For the Trees” – Press Release 8/12/2003

DATE 8/12/2003 5:55 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Heritage Council on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.

Kanab Artist “Speaks For the Trees”

Laurali Noteman has spent many an hour lying beneath crooked, old trees, gazing up at the branches with one thought in mind: I wish they could talk.“Trees could tell you the history of what they’ve seen through the generations,” says Noteman, a Kanab resident for 30 years. “Every since I was a child, trees have always intrigued me. They are record keepers of what has gone on around them, of how the Earth has evolved. They are sentinels of time.”

Since trees cannot talk, Noteman has become a “Lorax” of sorts, speaking for them through her art, much like the beloved character in the Dr. Seuss story. Her pen-and-ink pictures are meticulously drawn, capturing every branch and weathered section of bark. “When you sit and draw a tree, you get to know every little line of that tree, and you can feel their story,” she says.

For the first time, Noteman is sharing her tree “conversations” with the general public. Several of her pen-and-ink tree drawings, along with some pastels and photographs, are on display at the State Bank of Southern Utah, 98 W. Center Street, in Kanab through the month of August.

A full-time human resources director for Kane County hospital, Noteman says she has “dabbled” in art off and on since she was a child. After she had three kids, “life got crazy and I put art on hold for a while.” Now that her children are grown with children of their own, Noteman spends her evenings and weekends working on her art. Noteman’s art was given the “stamp of approval” from the U.S. Highway 89 Alliance, which sanctions and promotes the work of artists and artisans located along Utah’s Heritage Highway.

Noteman uses a croquill pen to create her tree drawings. “It has the finest tip you can get, which you need for all the lines on a tree. Drawing trees takes an unbelievable amount of time, there are thousands of little lines.” It’s not uncommon for her so spend more than 20 hours on a single drawing. “I will draw just about any tree, as long as it’s not straight,” she says with a laugh. “I like them to have personality.”

She also does pen -and- ink drawings of animals, mostly wildlife. She turns many of them, as well as her tree drawings, into note and greeting cards. Her pastels are mostly portraits of people or animals, and her photographs tend to focus on people. “With a photo, you can catch something very warm and human, which is what I try to capture. Some of my portraits of my grand kids are so warm you just want to giggle. It’s a “feel-good” type of photography.”

Noteman took up photography as a result of her fascination with trees. She and her husband Mike often horseback ride into the wilderness. When she finds a tree she likes, she takes photos of it in order to preserve the memory. “Some of the locations are so remote that once you get in there, it’s just about impossible to go back again. So I started taking a camera along to remember the tree, and the shading and the light. My photos just started getting better and better.”

For more information Contact:Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

 

Cowboy Poetry Rodeo Highlight of Western Legends Roundup – Press Release 8/11/2003

DATE 8/11/2003 4:55 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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.

Cowboy Poetry Rodeo Highlight of Western Legends Roundup

 This story is told of a city out West, rich in its trove of historic debris. A small, friendly town, with a most noble quest- “Stayin’ in touch with how things-used-to-be.” Each Fall as the warm summer days near an end, memories of earlier times come astir, then following through on this yesteryears trend, folks will oblige grand events to occur. Old legends are gathered from out of the past, dusted and polished to sparkle like new. Events re-enacted, the heroes re-cast, the “Past” comes alive for the “Present” to view. The sights and the sounds you are likely to hear will conjure up visions of more rugged times. See glimpses from life of the hardy pioneer, hear echoes of history in ballad and rhymes. So let your mind wander, forget it’s today, pretend to be livin’ those days of the past. Then when comes the morrow, you’re likely to say— “Kanab’s Western Legends, shape memories that last!” )) S.A.Jackson ’03Sam Jackson is known as the “dean” of the cowboy poetry rodeo circuit. The Kanab resident earned this title for developing the concept and producing the first cowboy poetry rodeo competition in Cedar City in 1998.Just what is a Cowboy Poetry Rodeo? One sure way to find out is to attend the Western Legends Roundup Aug. 20-24 in Kanab, where the Cowboy Poetry Rodeo is one of the featured attractions. The two-day competition will be held Aug. 22 and 23 supported in part by a grant from the Utah Humanities Council – and this year featuring more than 30 of North America’s top cowboy and cowgirl poets vying for the $5,000 in purse’s and trophies.

Jackson can also provide an explanation along with a bit of history. Cowboy poetry is any poem, prose, ballad, story, or song with a basic pastoral theme about country living, ranch life, or farm animals. “The work can come from anyone who feels that they, either through experience or research, can realistically address the subject,” he says. “Working as a cowboy or ranching experience is not a requirement.” Stories may be written about the past, present, or future and there is no restriction on geography. “Every area of the world has its rural life and is fair game,” Jackson says.

“I sensed that the genre of cowboy poetry, if presented in a positive manner, could become a valuable tool in more ways than just entertainment,” he says. “I felt not only could cowboy poetry help keep our western heritage alive, it could also serve as a rostrum for spreading the ‘Western’ message that most resident stewards of our western lands are doing a noble job as caretakers.”

For cowboy poetry to gain that status and keep the public’s interest, Jackson felt had to be written and presented in a professional and entertaining manner. “So I developed the Cowboy Poetry Rodeo scenario to assist in accomplishing the task.” A Cowboy Poetry Rodeo is organized as much like a regular stock rodeo as possible. Each contestant pays an entry fee and may enter any one of four different events. “Poet/serious” or “Poet/humorous” (a poet performs their own work) “Reciter/serious” or Reciter/humorous” (a reciter performs the work of others). Each “ride” is judged by a panel of 5 seasoned cowboy poets.

During the rodeo at the Western Legends Roundup, the top half of the poets from the first days go-round on Friday advance to the second go-round Saturday morning. The highest four final scores in each event receive prize money, with the top score in each event receiving a championship buckle and an invitation to perform in the head liner show. The Kanab Cowboy Poetry Rodeo begins both days at 8 a.m. at the Old Barn Theater located at Parry’s Lodge.

In addition to the Cowboy Poetry Rodeo, cowboy poetry will be highlighted each day of the Western Legends Roundup, beginning at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 20 with the opening ceremonies at the Kanab High School gym. The gala will include cowboy poets and music.

Thursday, Aug. 21, Jackson will host a free cowboy poetry workshop at 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Parry’s Lodge Old Barn Theater. The workshop is aimed at anyone who might be interested in listening to, reading, or writing cowboy poetry. It will feature Canadian poet Doris Daley, who has been a featured entertainer and emcee at every cowboy festival in Canada and several in the United States. She is also the author of a new book, Rhyme and Reason, and a new CD, Poetry in Motion. She will share performance and recitation tips and techniques.

There will be a music and poetry jam session each evening following the Western shows at the Kanab High School auditorium, at the Chuck Wagon Cafi, and at the Wigwam Trading Post in downtown Kanab. All interested cowboy poets and musicians and the public are invited.

On Friday, in addition to the Cowboy Poetry Rodeo, there will be performances by featured Western music groups and cowboy poets from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, the rodeo begins at 8 a.m., and Western music and cowboy poetry performances begin at 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. as part of the downtown festival activities. At 12 p.m., there will be a High Noon Cowboy Parade and some of the poets will ride in a wagon, and there will be cowboy poetry performances at 3 p.m. as part of the Outlaw Trail Show. Sunday at 9 a.m. there will be a cowboy poetry church under the big “Preachin Tent” on the elementary school lawn.

Kanab’s Western Legends Roundup pays homage to the city’s role as “Little Hollywood” in Utah and the influence cowboys and Western film makers had on the region. Hundreds of western feature films and television episodes were shot in the small town. Because of that history, Kanab holds a celebration each year that attracts thousands of people. For more information, contact the Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council, (435) 462-2502.

For more information Contact:Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

2003 Sanpete County Fair Has Something for Everyone – Press Release 8/4/2003

DATE 8/04/2003 4:55 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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.

2003 Sanpete County Fair Has Something for Everyone

The annual Sanpete County Fair, known for its ability to transport fair goers back in time a hundred years, is being held Aug. 16-23 in Manti.The Sanpete County Fair Board has resisted trends to evolve into a more trade show-type event and preserved many of the county fair traditions started decades ago, such as horse and cattle shows, royalty contests, rodeos, pet shows and barbershop quartets and a cowboy poetry concert. The result is an old-fashioned celebration with something for everyone, says Sally East, Sanpete County’s economic development director.”There are many elements of the fair that promote the home town’ element of local county fairs,” East says. “For example, there are 4-H programs involved in the fair, and I remember being in 4-H and the self satisfaction you get when you perfect your muffin or cookie recipe and take it to the fair and get a ribbon. It’s that home-grown, grass-roots feeling that I think we are losing across the nation.”

The fair is also a wonderful way for Utahans both local and out-of-towners to take a step back in time and experience life the way it once was in rural Utah, she says. “The fair gives Sanpete County an opportunity to preserve its culture, convey its heritage and celebrate its unique rural history,” she says. “And it brings so many people out into the community. Whether its to the antique car show, to the demolition derby, the horse pull to watch those beautiful animals, or at the local talent show where many kids are performing for the first time and you have mom, dad, and grandma and grandpa in the audience. You see a lot of new people and people you haven’t seen in a long, long time.”

Prior to this year’s fair, there will be an Open Horse Show held Saturday, Aug. 9 at 8 a.m. at the Manti fair grounds. The competition will feature halter classes and showmanship classes for youth. Performance classes will include the lead line, walk trot, Western Pleasure and horsemanship divisions. There will also be trailer races, egg races, boot races, barrels poles and an obstacle course.

Fair highlights include the Miss Sanpete County royalty contest, which will be held Saturday, Aug. 16 in the Manti High School auditorium at 7 p.m. Cost is $6 and includes entertainment. Fair activities on Monday, Aug. 18 include the Karena Junior Buckle Rodeo at 6 p.m. for youth ages 6 – 17, and the cowboy poetry contest at 7 p.m. at Manti High School, featuring some of the best cowboy poets and singers in the nation will be at the event. Cost is only $3. Entertainers include JP Carson, Fred Engle and Sam DeLeeuw. In addition, the top five young cowboy poets, determined at an earlier competition, will entertain Monday night. There will also be musical performances by “Stampede” and “In Cahoots.”

Tuesday, Aug. 19 there will be a 7 p.m. barber shop quartet concert in the Manti High School auditorium. The event features the Utah Valley Chapter of the Skyline Chorus of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America. Admission is $3.

Highlights of activities being held on Wednesday, Aug. 20 include the opening of the Midway Carnival at 6 p.m. and the Farm Bureau Talent Find at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 21 there will be beef, dairy, swine fitting and showmanship at 8:30 a.m., small animal judging at 10 a.m., a local talent show from 4 to 6 p.m., a derby parade down Main Street in Manti at 6 p.m. and a demolition derby at the fairgrounds at 7 p.m. The demolition derby, with tickets costing $7 and $8.

Events on Friday, Aug. 22 include the antique tractor and equipment show from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., featuring old farm equipment in all its restore splendor. The Pet Show, which is celebrating its 26th year, will begin at 11 a.m. and feature pets of all shapes and sizes. The first-annual Dutch oven cook-off will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. The Big Extreme Motorcycle Show will begin at 2, 3 and 5 p.m. The show features professional freestyle riders performing stunts 40 to 60 feet in the air. The riders have been featured on numerous television and sports shows. At 6 p.m., there will be a Car Show Cruise Night down Main Street, followed by Family Night at the Clegg Championship Rodeo at 8 p.m. Family admission to the rodeo is $25. Clegg Championship Rodeo has been a participant at the Sanpete County Fair for 24 years. Hometown contestants will also be featured.

On Saturday, Aug. 23, activities begin early in the morning with a 6:30 a.m. 5-K “Fun Run, followed by the annual EMT breakfast at 8 a.m. A car show begins at 10 a.m., along with mud volley ball, local talent shows, and the antique tractor show. At noon there will be a beef producer’s dinner, followed by a 12:30 clown show class. At 1:30 p.m., the best draft horse teams in the U.S. will be featured in an old-fashioned horse pulling match. The teams are much like those used a century ago to do farm work and weigh from 3,000 to 5,200 pounds. Other events that day include a mud scramble and pie eating contest. The annual Mammoth Parade will be held on Main Street at 5 p.m., featuring floats and musical performances. It will be followed by the evening rodeo performance at 8 p.m.

“The Fair Board has put together a spectacular celebration, and really pulled together to make this a wonderful celebration,” East says. For a complete schedule or additional information on the fair, call (435) 462-2502.

For more information Contact:Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

Symposium on Grit and Valor of Cowboy Pioneers Featured Event at Annual Western Legends Roundup – Press Release 7/25/2003

DATE 7/25/2003 4:55 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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.

Symposium on Grit and Valor of Cowboy Pioneers Featured Event at Annual Western Legends Roundup

A special symposium on the grit and valor of Utah’s cowboy pioneers and the Western movie makers who captured their characteristics on film will be part of the fifth annual Western Legends Roundup Aug. 21 in Kanab, thanks to a grant from the Utah Humanities Council.The symposium, entitled The True Grit, Valor, Character and Work Ethic of Kane County’s Pioneers and

American Westerns that Conveyed Those Values, is also supported by the Utah Heritage Highway Alliance and the Kane County Travel Council and Film Commission. The symposium will allow people to see, discuss and experience the legends of the Westerns and see how Kane County’s pioneers played out the Western experience. The event will be held at 2 p.m. in the Crescent Moon Theater and be hosted by film historian Jim D`arc.

The symposium was proposed in coordination with Sen. Bob Bennett’s bill to designate the 250 mile U.S. Highway 89 corridor from Fairview to Kanab as the National Mormon Pioneer Heritage Area. Its title was taken from a statement read into the Congressional Record in June 2002 by Michigan Congressmen Jim Barcia on the value of Western films: As a characteristically American film genre, Westerns occupy an honored place in the hearts and minds of all of us who see honor and glory in the rugged individualism portrayed in those movies…for embodying the true grit, valor and work ethic of the cowboys, frontiersmen and pioneers who forged America into the great and noble nation it is today.

The symposium will later be expanded into a documentary and be developed into a Web page. The project will be modeled after the popular lecture series, The Famous and Infamous Along Heritage Highway 89, and its companion documentary, Stories from Heritage Highway 89, produced by the Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council, U.S. Highway 89 Alliance and KBYU-TV.

The Aug. 21 symposium will look at both the history of the pioneers in the Kanab area and the interesting phenomenon that Hollywood chose to go to Kanab to film Westerns. It will be followed by a showing of the movie Pony Express, starring Charlton Heston, who talked about making the movie in Stories Along U.S. Highway 89. Pony Express was filmed in Kanab in 1953 and also featured well-known movie actors Rhonda Fleming, Forrest Tucker and Jan Sterling.

Kanab’s popularity as a location for Western films earned the city the title Little Hollywood, as hundreds of western feature films and television episodes were shot in the small town. Because of that history, the city recognizes the contributions film makers and actors made to the area each year with the Western Legends Roundup.

Thousands of people attend the annual celebration, which runs Aug. 20-24 this year and features Western movies, music, exhibits discussions, workshops and more. Kanab also has a Little Hollywood Walk of Fame, a display of plaques in the downtown area that honors movie stars, producers and directors.

For more information Contact:Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

 

TBSI Preserving Past, Future Along U.S. Highway 89 and Beyond – Press Release 7/18/2003

DATE 7/18/2003 2:10 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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.

TBSI Preserving Past, Future Along U.S. Highway 89 and Beyond

The Traditional Skills Building Institute (TBSI) at Snow College and the U.S. Highway 89 Alliance share a common goal: restoring and preserving pieces of the past. Over the past several years, the two have teamed up on several restoration projects along Utah’s Heritage Highway. Now, TBSI is taking its objective beyond the highway, branching out to reach Utah’s urban cities, its smallest communities, and even the rest of the world.This is all about furthering the art of traditional building skills, says Russ Mendenhall, TBSI director. Our goal is educating people on how to use these skills in preserving historic buildings and in new construction, which we accomplish through our hands-on workshops. If we can combine that goal with projects that benefit the highway and state, it’s a win-win situation for everyone.

TBSI has been holding workshops in Ephraim and the Sanpete County region, teaching skills such as stone work, brick laying, wood carving and stain glass making. Over the years, we’ve had a lot of people from other parts of the state express interest in the workshops, Mendenhall says. However, many of them said that they couldn t make it down to Ephriam, so we decided to take what we have to offer up to them. As a result, TBSI has been holding a series of workshops at the This Is The Place State Park in Salt Lake City to reach a broader audience. The workshops, which run for three days, involve instruction and hands-on experience using widely recognized craftsmen. They are designed for architects, builders, contractors, trades people, students, educators and homeowners. The next workshop, Traditional Furniture Making, is scheduled for July 31 – Aug. 2. Participants will learn traditional joinery techniques by using hand planes, chisels and saws to construct a pioneer furniture project. The workshop is being taught by Dale Peel of Peel Furniture Works in Mt. Pleasant. Next, TBSI plans to travel to the little-known ghost town of Grafton, Utah, near Zions National Park for a workshop on adobe restoration. The ghost town was the location shoot for parts of the film, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and will be the training ground for participants taking part in the unique workshop. TBSI workshops have also been held in Torrey, Utah, where students completed two stone benches. In addition, TBSI students traveled to Bacup, England, in March where they did masonry restoration work on a historical building and a stone wall. Students stayed with host families and studied the history and culture of the area.

Along U.S. Highway 89, TBSI has been involved in the restoration of a church in Salina, where they did stone work, and they are considering planning a workshop in Centerfield on a church restoration project. It is a very interesting building, made of oolite stone, Mendenhall says. In Moroni, the group has been involved in the renovation and restoration of the Moroni Opera House. TBSI students also worked on the Spring City school house project, working on plaster work, moldings and masonry.

All of these projects are fine examples of the type of outstanding work students are doing through TBSI, Mendenhall says. For more information on TBSI or upcoming workshops, call (435) 283-7324 or check out their web site: http://www.snow.edu/TBSI.

 

For more information Contact:Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

Manti City Hall Restoration Project Receives Eccles Grant – Press Release 7/7/2003

DATE 7/7/2003 4:55 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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.

Manti City Hall Restoration Project Receives Eccles Grant

The restoration of Manti’s Old City Hall building received a boost recently in the form of a $28,000 grant from the George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Foundation.The grant will be used to finish interior and begin exterior improvements on the historic structure. The Eccles family is the most generous family, says Shannon Miller, chair of the Manti Historic Preservation Commission. They saw the value of keeping and renovating this beautiful building.

Built around 1870, the Old City Hall building had been neglected and deteriorated over the years, and was most recently used as a storage facility. Under the guidance of the Manti commission, the Destiny Committee, and volunteer Vern Buchanan, the Italianate structure is being lovingly restored. It’s an architecturally significant building, there aren’t too many structures of this kind left in the state, Miller says. There were a lot of people who wanted to restore it, but nothing was being done officially. Vern just stepped up and said I’ll do it.

Inside, the building will include a visitors and U.S. Highway 89 travel center, a museum and restrooms on the main floor, and a reception hall and caterers kitchen upstairs. Much of the interior work has already been completed, Miller says. Outside, efforts are underway to restore details such as a widow’s walk, the low-pitched hipped roof and decorative bracketed eves, along with repairing wood work and windows.

The Eccles grant is the latest support the project received. In March, the restoration committee received a $6,000 grant from the Utah Division of State History’s Certified Local Governments Program. It also received a grant from Exxon Mobile, thanks to the efforts of volunteer Alan Justesen. He contributed more than 60 hours of slave labor’ to the project, and his company matched his efforts with a financial contribution, Miller says. There have been a lot of miracles that have made this project possible.

In addition to Buchanan and Justesen, Miller says numerous volunteers have spent countless hours on the effort, including Susan Carter, one of the original project supporters; Manti City Manager Bill Nicholson; and cabinet maker Gary Bringhurst. All of the volunteers have been so enthusiastic, it’s just remarkable, Miller says. They are the reason we’ve been able to do so much with so little. For example, she says a local resident stopped by to see the project, admired the original, but worn wood floors and offered to sand and restore them.

All of these angels just keep flying down, Miller says In addition to the Old City Hall restoration, the Manti Historic Preservation Commission is backing other projects in the city, especially efforts to find a location for a community swimming pool. We are supportive of all of the volunteer efforts in this community, Miller says. Our goal is for people to see and understand how important these projects are to our community and city.

The Manti commission is considered one of the chapter’s of the reorganized Utah Heritage Highway Alliance. The Alliance, which includes members from Sanpete, Kane, Wayne, Garfield, Sevier and Piute counties, has a goal of preserving the historic highway U.S. 89 and using the counties’ unique heritage as a promotion tool.

Indeed, Miller says that one of the Manti group’s goals is to publicize the value of putting resources into preservation instead of demolition. We want to show people how preservation relates to ordinary people, she says.  We want to explain the tax benefits and recognition that you can get when you restore a historic structure. The commission also wants to educate people about the role such buildings can play in establishing a community’s identity and contribute to its economic development.

For more information Contact:Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

Heritage Projects Garner Best of State Medals – Press Release 6/29/2003

DATE 6/29/2003 4:55 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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.

Heritage Projects Garner Best of State Medals

Two Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council and U.S. Highway 89 Alliance projects were awarded Best of State medals during a June 28 ceremony in Salt Lake City.Best of State is 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 11 main categories are: arts and entertainment, science and technology, community development, manufacturing, agriculture, sports and recreation, merchandising, hospitality/travel/tourism, education, services, and dining establishments.

The brochure “The Artisans and Crafters of Utah’s Heritage Highway 89” received a medal in the Arts and Entertainment (Handicrafts) division. The brochure features the products created by artists and craft makers along U.S. Highway 89, the Heritage Highway. It was produced by the U.S. Highway 89 Alliance.

Also in the Arts and Entertainment category, the videos Stories Along U.S. Highway 89 and Cultures in Conflict, a documentary on the Black Hawk War, received medals. Both videos were produced by KBYU’s Rob Sibley. Stories Along U.S. Highway 89 features the people, places and history of Highway 89, and includes in-depth interviews and historical re-enactments. Cultures in Conflict is an award-winning documentary on Chief Black Hawk and the Black Hawk War that looks at how the Native American leader and the war influenced and changed the Sanpete County region.

For more information Contact:Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

 

Rodeo, Rendezvous Highlights of Hub City Days Rooted in traditions of the Old West – Press Release 6/22/2003

DATE 6/22/2003 7:48 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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.

Rodeo, Rendezvous Highlights of Hub City Days
Rooted in traditions of the Old West

Mt. Pleasant City’s annual Hub City Days will feature two main attractions that celebrate the history and traditions of Utah and the Old West: a professional rodeo and a mountain man rendezvous.The Clegg Championship Rodeo will be held on the Friday, July 4 and Saturday, July 5 at 8 p.m. at the city rodeo grounds. Like Hub City Days, which celebrates the history and traditions of Mt. Pleasant, the Clegg Championship Rodeo will celebrate the influence the rodeo had on the Western United States and Utah. It’s the first time in many years that a professional rodeo has been part of Hub City Days.”Rodeo in Mt. Pleasant is quite a tradition,” says Chris Larsen, a member of the city council. “I remember when I was growing up, every year on the Fourth of July we’d go to the parade and then over to the city park and ride steers all day and then watch the professional rodeo at night.”

However, one thing Larsen didn’t realize as a child (or, rather, until he joined the Mt. Pleasant city council) was that the city had been running the rodeos at a financial loss for years. “It got to the point where we just couldn’t do it anymore.”

The city continued to run the children’s rodeo or “Muttin’ Bustin'” competition as part of Hub City Days. Revenue from that annual, volunteer-run event over time helped finance some needed improvements at the rodeo grounds and helped bring professional rodeo back.

The Muttin’ Bustin children’s rodeo will be held this year as well. It will take place at 7 p.m. both Friday and Saturday nights. “We really wanted to keep the tradition of the children’s rodeo…we are doing all of this for the kids anyway,” Larsen says.

In addition, local rodeo riders can take part in the Clegg Championship Rodeo. Sign ups will be held June 27. For information, contact Debbie Stallings at (435) 462-3816.

The rodeo will feature riders competing in calf roping, steer wrestling, bare back riding, bull riding, barrel racing and more. The cost for the Clegg Championship Rodeo is $6 for adults and $3 for children under age 12. Larsen says the city hopes to “break even” on the rodeo in hopes of making it an annual event once again.

The word “rodeo” actually comes from the Spanish word “rodear” meaning to roundup, and was the name used in the Spanish Ranchero days when the semi-wild herds of cattle were gathered in the spring for branding and ear marking. Rodeos often took place again in the fall when the cattle were slaughtered, and the semi-annual roundup was the origin of the modern rodeo. It also served as a social gathering and celebration for the various families that lived on enormous ranches. Those rodeos could last a week or more and would often include cook-outs, bronco riding, roping and other competitions.

In addition to the rodeo, the fourth annual Black Hawk Mountain Man Rendezvous will be held during Hub City Days. The event begins July 4 (it will be held in Mt. Pleasant’s City Park) and continues through Sunday, July 6. The rendezvous celebrates the history of mountain men and the traditions of making heritage products, which continue to be an attraction in the region today.

As in past years, this year’s event is being organized by David and Pat Gonzalez, who are longtime enthusiasts of Mountain Men rendezvous, with help from the Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council. The Gonzalez’ have been attending Mountain Men rendezvous with their children for more than a decade. Once again, one of the main attractions will be a “Traders Row” that will include historic items like those made and sold at Mountain Men Rendezvous before 1840. Those items will include handmade leather goods, clothing, tin ware, bead work, bags, belts, pipe bags, wooden boxes and other historic items.

In addition to Traders Row, the rendezvous will also include muzzle-loader shootouts, exhibits, trading, displays, candy cannon explosions, tomahawk and knife-throwing contests, frying pan tosses, Dutch-oven cook offs, kids games, Native American dancers, historical re-enactments and shooting contests coordinated by TNT Muzzle Loaders, which supplies the targets and scoring cards.

Participants will camp out in authentic teepees and wall tents during the three-day event, which is expected to attract shooters and traders from throughout Utah and parts of the United States. For more information, contact Gonzalez at (435) 462-0152 or call the Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council, (435) 462-2456.

 

For more information Contact:Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

Mt. Pleasant Readies for Annual Hub Days Celebration – Press Release 6/18/2003

DATE 6/18/2003 7:44 AM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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 Readies for Annual Hub Days Celebration

Once again, Mt. Pleasant City is gearing up for its annual Hub City Days celebration June 28 – July 6 with events including a Mountain Man rendezvous, parades, rodeos, musical performances and a 5K run/walk. The celebration, in honor of Mt. Pleasant being the Hub City of Sanpete County, is just some of the many things to see and do along Utah s Heritage Highway, U.S. 89 over the July 4th holiday.Activities begin Saturday, June 28 with an 8 a.m. men s softball tournament at the North Sanpete High School ball field. To register, contact Stephanie Blaine at (435) 462-3108. On Sunday, June 29, there will be a Freedom Rally, featuring the Sanpete Valley Singers, at 7 p.m. in the North Sanpete High School auditorium. Thursday, July 3 there will a Barrel-A-Rama at 7 p.m. at the city rodeo grounds, with registration being held at 6 p.m.

July 4 festivities begin with a 7 a.m. Fun run/walk beginning at the Horseshoe Mountain Restaurant parking lot. Proceeds will benefit the Lung Cancer Foundation in memory of Phyllis Shelley. Also at 7 a.m. there will be an IHC Hospital breakfast in the city park. Other scheduled July 4 events include:

  • 11 a.m. Childrens Parade. Entrants should line up between 700 South and Park Road.
  • 11:30 Mammoth Parade, Entrants should line up at 700 South and State Street. To sign up for the parade, contact Dan Simons, 462-0150 or Mt. Pleasant City Hall, 462-2456.
  • 1 p.m., Veterans of Foreign Wars hamburger lunch, Mt. Pleasant City Park.
  • 12:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. musical performances, Mt. Pleasant City Park, including the Native American dance group, Morning Star, and the folk singing group, Family Ties.
  • 1 – 4 p.m., Craft booths. Cost is $15 per booth. To reserve a booth, call (435) 462-3488.
  • 7 p.m., Mutton Bustin Childrens Rodeo, open to the first 25 children who register.
  • 8 p.m., Rodeo, to register, call Debbie Stallings, (435) 462-3816.
  • 10 p.m., Fireworks show.

In addition, throughout the day July 4, there will be events and activities in the city park, including a Mountain Man Rendevous, food, games, musical performances and dutch-oven cooking. The Mountain Man Rendevous, which runs through Sunday, July 6, is being sponsored by TNT Muzzleloaders and the Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council. The rendezvous will include exhibits, trading, displays, candy cannon explosions, homemade rootbeer and other food items, tomahawk and knife-throwing contests, frying pan tosses, kids games, demonstrations, shooting contests and more. The fourth annual gathering is hosted by David and Pat Gonzalez. For information, call (435) 462-0152.

Hub Days continues Saturday, July 5 with a morning co-ed softball at North Sanpete County High School. For information, contact Stephanie Blaine, 462-3108, and a 8 a.m. golf tournament. To register for the golf tournament, call Dave Goodwin at (435) 427-9586. Sunday activities include shooting contests and awards at the Mountain Man Rendezvous.

For general information about Hub City Days, call Mt. Pleasant City at (435) 462-2502.

 

For more information Contact:Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

First Run, Walk & Roll Race Set for June 21 – Press Release 6/7/2003

DATE 6/07/2003 4:55 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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.

First Run, Walk & Roll Race Set for June 21

Unique Event will be part of Danish Heritage Days Celebration in Elsinore When she was undergoing rehabilitation for paralysis on the left side of her body, Doreen Christensen used to visualize herself running a 5-K race. June 21, she will join with people of all physical ability levels taking part in the first annual Red Rock Run, Rock and Roll 5-K race in Elsinore.

The race includes running, walking, assisted wheelchair (pushed or powered) and roller blades/skates categories, and is being held as part of the city s annual Danish Heritage Days celebration. The race will benefit the St. George Red Rock Center for Independence, one of six independent living centers across Utah. It s one of a series of races that will be held during the month of June to benefit Utah s independent living centers. This is the first time in 13 years that all of the centers across the state have held runs during the month of June, Christensen says.

I know firsthand that these kind of events help people to visualize a higher level of the human spirit, it’s very important. Christensen, who has run several 5-K races as part of her own recovery therapy, will take part in a June 14 race in Salt Lake City and will help coordinate the June 21 race in Elsinore. Proceeds from the Elsinore race will benefit consumers of the Red Rock Center.

The Elsinore race is for both serious competitors and for people of all physical ability levels who just want to have fun Christensen says. It is sanctioned by the Utah Runners Association, which means there will be counters available for runners collecting official times for race credits. We are also looking for sponsors for people to be in the race, so even if people don t want to participate, they can support the center by sponsoring a participant.

Pre-registration for the race is $15 (to register or sponsor a participant, phone 1-800-649-2340) or $20 on the day of the race. Race registration begins at 6 a.m. June 21 at the race start location, 200 North and Center Street. The race starts at 7 a.m.

We are very excited about the race and connecting it to Danish Heritage Days, says Christensen, who also sits on the committee that organizes the annual festival. In that once little corner of Utah Elsinore, Joseph and Monroe you have influence from the Danish, Irish, Scottish, English and Native American cultures. It’s neat to come into the area and run on land that is joined collectively by these different cultures. It’s a great way to celebrate that.

For more information Contact:

Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

Elsinore Gears Up for Annual Danish Heritage Days Celebration – Press Release 6/6/2003

DATE 6/06/2003 9:42 AM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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.

Elsinore Gears Up for Annual Danish Heritage Days Celebration

Elsinore resident CR Wood is extending an open invitation to a few thousand of his closest friends across the state. He is asking that they join him for his city s annual Danish Heritage Days celebration June 17 – June 22.If you want to be a part of something totally unique that you will remember for a long time, this festival is the place to be, says Wood, who sits on a committee that organizes the four-day celebration.Danish Heritage Days will include cowboy poetry performances, a special 5-K run, walk & roll, a parade, musical performances, a car show, craft boutique, heritage tours and more. The quality of the entertainment gets better every year, and this year is the best line up we’ve ever attracted, Wood says.

Elsinore, which has a population of less than 1,000 people, hopes to double or triple the city s size during the celebration. This year s festivities begin Tuesday, June 17 with a flag ceremony near the White Rock School House on Center Street, followed by a go-cart race at 5 p.m. and Karioke at 7 p.m. Wednesday, there will be a bike course set up for a 5 p.m. event and concessions, and Thursday s highlight is an ugly ducking race at the state canal.

Friday night the Green Valley Cloggers will put on a free show, followed by free cowboy poetry performances starting at 7 p.m. in the city park. The event will feature Buckaroo Folklorist Tom Sharpe from Grand Junction, Colorado, and local muleman Perry Payne. Mulemen are better thinkers than cowboys, that s the difference, jokes Woods, who is also a cowboy poet. Brenda Sam DeLeeuw will also perform her Hilda Stories. There will also be a special performance by Steve and Terri Taylor, the Utah Chapter of Western Music Association s Female Performer of the Year and Male Soloist of the Year, with David Anderson on the 12-string guitar. All three of them are great soloists, and they are even better as a group, Wood says.

Saturday is packed with activities, beginning with the Red Rock Run, Walk & Roll (see accompanying story) at 7 a.m., followed by a parade at 10 a.m. People interested in having an entry in the parade should contact Ken Jensen at (435) 527-3836.

Also beginning at 10 a.m. and running throughout the day are the mountain men rendezvous, car show, craft fair, quilt show, heritage tours and children s games. People interested in having a craft booth should contact Sharon McIntosh at (435) 527-4594. At 11 a.m., there will be a story hour and at 2 p.m., a Women s Social.

At 6 p.m., a benefit chuck wagon dinner will be held, along with a benefit concert featuring cowboy poetry and Western music at 7 p.m. in the city park The Skunk Herders, a group made up of Idaho performers Gene and Sandy Jones, are set to take the stage, along with Ogden s Don Kennington. He is a national treasure, Wood says of Kennington. He is in his 70s now and is the greatest pure cowboy I know. Local favorite JoLynne Kirkwood will also be featured, and Wood will also perform. The cowboy poetry will be followed by the Western musical trio Latigo.

Cost is $10 for both activities, or $6 for dinner and $5 for entertainment if purchased separately. All proceeds will go to the Danish Heritage Days committee to fund the construction of a permanent stage in the park. The event is also sponsored by the Bad Water Cattle Company and Smith and Edwards in Willard Bay. Saturday will conclude with a fireworks show at dark in the city park. Sunday, there will be an 8 a.m. Sunday morning service and free continental breakfast.

This is the third year that Elsinore had held the festival, which honours the traditions that were brought into the region by Danish settlers. Danish immigrants were attracted to Utah in the mid 19th century when there was an industrial revolution of sorts in Denmark. Traditional skill workers such as tailors, furniture makers, and potters were put out of business when villagers began shopping and buying supplies from larger cities and towns. Many of these villagers converted to Mormonism and moved to the West. When they arrived in Utah, they quickly discovered that much of the Salt Lake Valley was already called for. But the Sanpete and Sevier counties were still very open at that time, so Danes settled in the region in droves.

In 1876, dozens of these settlers packed their wagons and came across the bench of Cottonwood Creek in Richfield and came here, Wood says. Brigham Young s brother, Joseph, was touring the region and thought it reminded him of the Castle Elsinore in Denmark and that is how the city got its name. It s also known as Little Denmark.

Elsinore first celebrated its Danish roots in 1976, on the 100th anniversary of the settlers trek into the region. Some 25 years later, a group of local residents organized a trip to re-enact the settlers moving into the region was organized. We later decided that we should celebrate our history more often than every 25 or every 100 years, and the Heritage Days was born.

For more information on the festivities, call (435) 527-3306 or (435) 527-4391.

 

For more information Contact:Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

Panguitch Wildlife Museum a ‘Living Dream’ – Press Release 5/31/2003

DATE 5/31/2003 8:50 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Heritage Council on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.

Panguitch Wildlife Museum a ‘Living Dream’

Close your eyes before entering the Paunsagaunt Western Wildlife Museum in Panguitch. When you open them again, you will find yourself transported to another place and time.In this magical place, deer, elk and even black bears roam freely in their natural habitats. Ducks swim and nest along riverbanks, a mother beaver suckles her young, and a bobcat — maybe in search of dinner — takes a swipe at a bird flying overhead. Animals native to Africa, Asia, India and Europe can also be seen, along with rare birds from all around the world.You see, once you are inside the doors of the museum, located at 250 E. Center Street and on U.S. Highway 89, you are inside the dream of museum curator and owner Robert Driedonks. “When I was a very young man — about nine years of age — I moved from Holland to British Columbia and became very intrigued with the wilderness.“Some years later, after I moved to Las Vegas and took up hunting, I made up my mind that I would start a museum of wildlife to leave a legacy behind. I wanted people to see and experience animals in their natural habitats. It was my dream.”

For the past 37 years, Driedonks has followed that dream, traveling around the world hunting exotic game and birds, along with animals native to the United States. “When I was a young man, I used to have a plane drop me and a friend off in Alaska and pick us up a week later…I’ve hunted in Africa three times, in New Zealand, Alaska, and all over the United States.”

Nearly all of Driedonks’ hunting expeditions are part of a controlled lottery system designed to manage and protect wildlife habitat and resources. “I just got my first elk tag to hunt in Nevada — it took 28 years,” he says. “I was gone for seven days, but I never shot an elk, even though I saw many, many bulls. It isn’t always about the hunting, sometimes, it’s just about the beauty of the experience.” He also has special educational permits that allow him to obtain animals that have died naturally in the wild.

Nine years ago, Driedonks opened the Paunsagaunt Western Wildlife Museum to display his collection, choosing Panguitch because of its proximity to Bryce Canyon (some 23 miles away) and the museum’s name because Paunsagaunt like the town of Panguitch is a Piute name.

Working with taxidermist Hagan Thompson, Driedonks displays the animals in their natural habitats and mounts them in poses indicative of their behavior in the wild. The museum’s walls have also been carefully painted by professional artists to complement each display, so the animals appear to be in the mountains, grazing in a field, or by a lake or stream. Driedonks also took careful pains to ensure that the angles and lighting in the building allow people to take excellent photographs.

“Right now, I have about half of my wildlife collection on display at the museum,” say Driedonks, who divides his time between Panguitch and his home in Las Vegas, Nevada. He adds that the support of his wife, Teri, has allowed him to embellish his dream and vision. The museum now features mounted displays of more than 200 native North American animals, more than 200 exotic game animals from India, Africa and Europe, and rare birds of prey (and their prey!)

Driedonks hopes to eventually expand the museum to accommodate his entire wildlife collection, valued at more than $1.3 million. “I’m going to Africa again next year, and then to British Columbia in 2005, and then I may call it quits.” At age 55, Driedonks jokes that he is “slowing down and getting more melancholy.” He also hopes to focus on other parts of his “dream.”

Over time, that dream and the museum have expanded. In addition to the birds and animals, Driedonks has also assembled a large butterfly collection of more than 1,400 specimens, and a large collection of interesting and rare insects. There are also displays of American Indian pottery, artifacts, tools and weapons. He also has fossils on display and even a collection of more than 600 sea shells. He also hosts educational programs for school and scouting troops (thousands of children have toured the museum over the past nine years) that discuss the animals, their habitats, and the history of managed sporting and the protection of wildlife resources.

“I love living my dream,” Driedonks says.
The Paunsagaunt Western Wildlife Museum is open May through October, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, visit the website http://www.brycecanyonwildlifemuseum.com  or call (435) 676-2500.

For more information Contact:Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

 

Triathlon in Richfield June 28th – Press Release 5/20/2003

DATE 5/20/2003 4:55 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Heritage Council on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.

Triathlon in Richfield June 28th

You know you have always wanted to say you’re a triathlete. Now here’s your chance! If you can swim, bike, and run, the first annual Fish Lake Triathlon is for you. Begin your training and get registered to join participants from all areas of Utah and throughout the United States. All three events are held in Richfield and each of these races will begin and end at the Richfield City Swimming Pool. This triathlon is called a sprint, because it will consist of a 1/4 mile swim in the Richfield City Swimming Pool, a 12.5 mile bike ride out past the Cove View Golf Course and back, and the final leg will be a 3.2 mile run. This is a fairly flat course with minimal hills, helping you to accomplish your lowest record-setting times. The events will be followed by an awards ceremony and prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places in both male and female categories ages 0-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50 & up.  Milliseconds computerized timing chips will be used for perfect accuracy. Generous sponsors are from local and national businesses such as Oakley and Powerade. All proceeds for the triathlon will go to Rotary International, to help eradicate polio throughout the world. Working with Richfield City on this project, Rotary President, Dr. Richard Luekenga said, “We hope this triathlon will become an annual event, bringing new visitors to our beautiful area that will benefit our community in the years to come.”

Entry forms can be obtained at: all local banks, Valley Vision, Jorgensen Honda, and Christensen’s Department Store. Or to obtain a form on line, send an email to: 1vvision@msn.com. You may also register at this website link: http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1044986  
The Fish Lake Triathlon will begin Saturday, June 28th at 7:00 am, at the Richfield City Swimming Pool patio area. Participants should be there at 6:00 am to check in and get ready to have a great time. Be watching in the Richfield Reaper for triathlon training tips.

Registration Form Here for mail in registrations.

For more information Contact:Fish Lake Registration
186 Castle Rock Ct.
Richfield, UT 84701
Phone: 435-896-9085
Fax: 435-896-9484
E-mail:
1vvision@msn.com

Memorial Quilt Highlight of Annual Panguitch Quilt Walk Days – Press Release 5/9/2003

DATE 5/9/2003 8:42 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Heritage Council on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.

Memorial Quilt Highlight of Annual Panguitch Quilt Walk Days

A internationally-supported memorial quilt made in remembrance of victims of 9-11 will be displayed for the first time in Utah during the annual Panguitch Quilt Walk Days June 12 – 14. We are very excited about having the quilt here, says Janine Fellows, manager of the Panguitch Main Street Program, which is sponsoring the event. The quilt s visit couldn’t t come at a better time than our annual quilt celebration.Quilts have special meaning in our city s history, and having the 9/11 memorial quilt here will make for an incredible celebration.

The United in Memory quilt is dedicated to victims of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the passengers and crew members of American Airlines Flights 11 and 77, and United Airlines Flights 95 and 175. It is similar to the world-famous AIDS quilt, and consists of panels measuring 10-1/2′ x 10-1/2′, with each panel consisting of 25 blocks, with each block memorializing a victim of 9/11.

The quilt project was initially started by two Long Beach, Calif., residents in May 2002, and it grew in scope and size as word spread throughout the nation and world. In all, hundreds of volunteers from across the United States and 17 foreign countries contributed to the quilt.

A woman in town has a niece who worked on the quilt, and we were able to being it here through that connection, Fellows says. The quilt is more than 14,000 square feet in size. If it were laid out flat, it would take up three-quarters of a football field, Fellows says.

The quilt will be on display in Panguitch s Triple C arena all three days of the festival and be open to the public free of charge. Exact times are still pending, but Fellows says people may call (866) 590-4134 as the event nears or check the city s web page, www.panguitch.org, for a complete schedule.

The quilt will be set up on special stands or laid on the floor, with paths that allow spectators to walk and view the sections. There will also be videos, CDs and other materials on hand that talk about some of the people who are memorialized in the quilt, Fellows says.

This is the sixth year that Panguitch has held Quilt Walk Days, which celebrates the role the quilt played in the city s history. When the pioneers first came to Panguitch, they ran out of food. A party of seven men set out to travel more than 40 miles for supplies. But the snow was so deep, the wagon wheels got stuck in the snow when they were only 10 miles out of town. The men decided to pray and spread quilts out on the snow. They noticed when they were kneeling on the quilts that they didn’t t sink into the snow. So they took the quilts and spread them on the snow and slowly leap frogged their way to get supplies.

The festival will feature a play that reenacts the snowed-in quilt walk. It will be held Thursday, Friday and Saturday as part of dessert or dinner theatre. The three-day event also includes quilting classes, quilt displays and quilt blocking demonstrations, and a quilt trunk show Friday and Saturday at noon. The show features women who bring their family s quilts in trunks and tell the stories behind the quilts, Fellows says. There are always some remarkable tales.

For more information about the event, contact the Panguitch Main Street Program at (866) 590-4134.

For more information Contact:Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

Family Bonding Opportunities Along U.S. Highway 89 to be Promoted at Family Expo – Press Release 5/2/2003

DATE 5/2/2003 6:41 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Heritage Council on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.

Family Bonding’ Opportunities Along U.S. Highway 89
to be Promoted at Family Expo

Looking for a way to strengthen your family’s bond? Kanab resident Bud Barnes and other promoters of U.S. Highway 89 have a suggestion: take a trip down the Heritage Highway.“We want to develop the highway as family bonding’ area,” says Barnes. “We have the greatest concentration of natural wonders any place in the world along this highway. But it’s also a great playground, a wonderful place to bring the family.”Barnes hopes to get that point across to the thousands of people who are expected to visit the Gung-ho Family Expo being held at the South Towne Exposition Center in Sandy May 23 & 24. There will be a booth at the event promoting the Heritage Highway, staffed by Barnes and other enthusiastic volunteers. “We are going to highlight all 230 miles of the Highway 89 corridor with our display,” he says. “At each major point along the highway where there is something of interest, we will have pictures showing people what they can experience.” The booth will also have brochures, videos that explain historical events in the region like the Black Hawk War, and other handouts and materials.“We hope that while people experience the national parks, river rafting, ATV trails and the many other offerings along the highway, they will notice something else about the area,” Barnes says. “There is a history here, a culture, that needs to be explained.”

Barnes, 76, who runs the Utah Trails Resort in Kanab, has been working closely with other highway promoters to draw attention to the area. His focus is on developing seven “magnet” sites along the highway and bringing in groups from Las Vegas and other areas outside the state on a daily basis to tour the historic route. “But there are so many people from around the state and even in this region who don’t know what the highway has to offer them and their families. So we want to show them some of the places they can visit and some of the things they can do here as a family.”

Barnes says the highway attractions include adventures like ATV riding and horseback riding, to white water rafting, to visiting attractions such as the Big Rock Canyon Mountain and the Fairview Museum. To get the word out to families across the state, Barnes and others will be doing various promotion efforts, starting with having a booth at the Gung-ho Family Expo. Barns says the message of the expo is similar to the one highway enthusiasts hope to promote: that family is the cornerstone of society. “Learning and growing as a family creates a special bond that is strengthened with each new experience shared,” the Expo’s mission statement says. The two-day event will include family-oriented activities such as storytelling and musical performances, products and services, as well as learning opportunities, crafts and family workshops.

“We thought this was a good place to start promoting the region as a family bonding’ area,” Barnes says of the expo. He adds that with the reintroduction of a proposal in Congress to have the highway region designated as a National Mormon Pioneer Heritage Area, there may be government funds available to expand and continue such promotional efforts.

The Gung-ho Family Expo runs from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, May 23, and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, May 24 at the South Town Exposition Center.

For more information Contact:Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

Forest Service Grants to Support Preservation, Development Projects – Press Release 4/28/2003

DATE 4/28/2003 4:55 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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.

Forest Service Grants to Support Preservation, Development Projects

Three significant restoration and development projects in Sanpete County have received grants from the U.S. Forest Service via the Manti La Sal National Forest and Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council.In Centerfield, the beneficiary of a $15,000 grant is the LDS Meetinghouse, built in 1886. Local preservationists, overseen by resident Debbie Hansen, have been working to restore the structure for some time. They already secured a Certified Local Governments Program grant from the Utah Division of State History to help finance the project, which will now be supplemented by the U.S. Forest Service grant.

Now owned by the city, the former LDS Meetinghouse is built of oolite, stone and wood. It has a T-shaped floor plan and consists of two sections. Its steep, pitched, sloping roof is its distinguishing design feature, and it also boasts nine-foot panel doors, wainscotting and unique moulding. A tower was later added in 1897. The meeting house has stood vacant and has been neglected for years and once restored will be used as a community and vocational center.

A $7,500 grant was awarded to Illusion Academy and Mt Pleasant City to provide computer use and advanced training to students at Snow College and throughout the region. Illusion Academy is a “high tech center” that houses the computer illustration business as well as providing space for a community classroom and Internet Café.

Owned by Dean Kleven, a computer illustrator who has worked for Disney and Dream Works, the business is located in Mt. Pleasant’s old industrial arts building, once part of Sanpete County’s high school. The computer designs Kleven and his partners create are used in children’s books, as well as high-tech digital imaging and three-dimensional graphics, such as the kind used to produce movies such as Toy Story. The U.S. Forest Service grant will be used to construct work stations to teach students and to offer permanent, part-time jobs to qualified artists in the area.

In Fountain Green, a project to restore the town’s Social Hall received an $11,600 grant. The money will be used to help restore the 1918 structure to its former glory. Preservationists including Dean Peckham have already raised some $300,000 for the project, in addition to securing a $45,000 grant from the George S. and Delores Eccles Foundation. Peckham said the group is in the process of applying for an additional $180,000 grant from the Community Impact Board to finish the project. Once complete, the social hall will be used as a community gathering place.

For more information Contact:Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

 

Forest Service Grants to Support Preservation, Development Projects – Press Release 4/28/2003

DATE 4/28/2003 4:55 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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.

Forest Service Grants to Support Preservation, Development Projects

Three significant restoration and development projects in Sanpete County have received grants from the U.S. Forest Service via the Manti La Sal National Forest and Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council.In Centerfield, the beneficiary of a $15,000 grant is the LDS Meetinghouse, built in 1886. Local preservationists, overseen by resident Debbie Hansen, have been working to restore the structure for some time. They already secured a Certified Local Governments Program grant from the Utah Division of State History to help finance the project, which will now be supplemented by the U.S. Forest Service grant.

Now owned by the city, the former LDS Meetinghouse is built of oolite, stone and wood. It has a T-shaped floor plan and consists of two sections. Its steep, pitched, sloping roof is its distinguishing design feature, and it also boasts nine-foot panel doors, wainscotting and unique moulding. A tower was later added in 1897. The meeting house has stood vacant and has been neglected for years and once restored will be used as a community and vocational center.

A $7,500 grant was awarded to Illusion Academy and Mt Pleasant City to provide computer use and advanced training to students at Snow College and throughout the region. Illusion Academy is a “high tech center” that houses the computer illustration business as well as providing space for a community classroom and Internet Café.

Owned by Dean Kleven, a computer illustrator who has worked for Disney and Dream Works, the business is located in Mt. Pleasant’s old industrial arts building, once part of Sanpete County’s high school. The computer designs Kleven and his partners create are used in children’s books, as well as high-tech digital imaging and three-dimensional graphics, such as the kind used to produce movies such as Toy Story. The U.S. Forest Service grant will be used to construct work stations to teach students and to offer permanent, part-time jobs to qualified artists in the area.

In Fountain Green, a project to restore the town’s Social Hall received an $11,600 grant. The money will be used to help restore the 1918 structure to its former glory. Preservationists including Dean Peckham have already raised some $300,000 for the project, in addition to securing a $45,000 grant from the George S. and Delores Eccles Foundation. Peckham said the group is in the process of applying for an additional $180,000 grant from the Community Impact Board to finish the project. Once complete, the social hall will be used as a community gathering place.

For more information Contact:Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

 

Mother-Daughter Team Press Love, Luck With Flower Business – Press Release 4/28/2003

DATE 4/28/2003 4:55 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Heritage Council on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.

Mother-Daughter Team Press Love, Luck With Flower Business

One could say that Kristy Lanesem is pressing her luck literally and figuratively. After all, not many people can walk away from a teaching career in order to spend more time with their family and end up starting a successful business. But that is exactly what happened to Lanesem, and all it took was a little luck and a lot of help from mom.It was kind of a leap of faith, Lanesem says of her decision to leave teaching seven years ago. She was living in California at the time and expecting her third child. She wanted to find a job that would allow her to stay at home with her children. We really couldn’tt afford for me to quit teaching at the time, so I had to think of something. So Lanesem did the obvious she called her mom.I remember she said to me mom, there must be something that we could make and turn into a business, says Shirley Kleven, who studied art at Brigham Young University. So I said let me think about it for a while and that was how it all started.

What the two started was Pressed With Love, a business where they create pressed flower art. They take flowers they have picked and pressed themselves and create designs to complement a saying, poem or religious passage. They then matt and frame the passage and flowers, which are intended to be displayed or hung on walls. I m more of the artist and she is more of the organizer and book keeper, although my daughter is a good artist as well, Kleven says. We work well together in that way.

The pair started out making just enough pictures to sell in local shops, but word of mouth kicked in shortly thereafter and the business that was originally intended to help a young mother and her mother make some extra money started to grow. When Kleven moved to Mt. Pleasant with her husband, who was born in the area, Lanesem s family joined them two years ago. Their flower art now sells in stores all along U.S. Highway 89, and in shops and books stores such as Deseret Book across the state, nation and even in Canada.

Their works range in size from six inches by six inches to as large as 16 inches by 24 inches, and include more than 100 different kinds of flowers. We ve learned over the years which flowers are best to use, which flowers won t fade, Kleven says. We get flowers from everywhere, Lanesem adds. We grow a lot of them my mom has a huge garden and neighbors will call us and say we ve got the most beautiful flowers, you have to come and pick some of them. The two also spend one day a week in Manti, collecting and pressing flowers that grow on the Manti temple grounds. That arrangement began with Kleven contacted the grounds gardener and he invited them to press the flowers he pulls each week during his routine maintenance. Everything has just worked out for us, it s been a real blessing for both of us, Kleven says. Lanesem adds I never imagined it would grow into this, and it s really fun working with my mom, we have a great time together.

The two recently attended their first wholesale craft show. We had no idea what to expect, Lanesem says. We thought if we just got enough orders to pay for the booth space $500 it would be worth the learning experience. But they collected more than $12,000 worth of orders in only three days. That is more than enough to keep us busy until Christmas, Kleven says with a laugh.

Their flourishing business has them looking to hire some help and set up an office outside of their homes. Right now, I have my pressed flowers in an extra room that is supposed to be my dining room, Lanesem says with a laugh. Now that we are thinking about renting space, maybe I ll have a real dining room one day.

For more information Contact:Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

Bikers Raise Money to Prevent Child Abuse, Protect Future – Press Release 4/20/2003

DATE 4/20/2003 7:22 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Heritage Council on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.

Bikers Raise Money to Prevent Child Abuse, Protect Future

What do hundreds of motorcycle riders, poker, child abuse prevention and U.S. Highway 89 have in common? To find out the answer, keep an eye out on the highway and cities and towns along the historic route April 25-27. You might just see large groups of motorcycle riders winding their way down the highway to raise money for Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA).

The Utah chapters of BACA are holding a fund-raising “poker run” in the region to raise money for their cause. They will be stopping in cities along the historic route collecting playing cards and putting together the best poker hand they can.

“Weather permitting, they may be as many as 600 of us,” says Todd Bailey, a member of the BACA Central Utah Chapter. The association, which has nine Utah chapters, was organized about eight years ago with the goal of creating a safer environment for abused children. BACA works with local and state officials to lend emotional and physical support to abused children, including supporting them at court and parole hearings and attending interviews. The organization now has 24 chapters in 22 states and in Canada.

“We go to court with the children to let them know that they are not alone,” says Bailey, whose group was recently in court to support Elizabeth Smart. “The empowerment a child can get from seeing a big, ugly biker in the courtroom who is there just to support them can be enough to put these perpetrators away.”

Other BACA chapters are holding similar fund-raising events across the nation the same weekend as part of National Child Abuse Prevention month. “We are hoping to increase awareness of what we are trying to do,” Bailey says. “Kids are our future and if we are not out there to help them, what kind of future do we have?”

The weekend event is being coordinated with assistance from Loretta Johnson, owner of the Wind Walker Guest Ranch where many BACA members are staying, and Curt Hawkins, who has helped organize tours of U.S. Highway 89, the Heritage Highway. Hawkins became acquainted with BACA while covering a court trial in Utah County. “I’m not a biker, not even close, but I heard about what they do and I was drawn to it,” he says.

The Wind Walker Guest Ranch will be the starting base for the poker run, which will be held Saturday. Bikers will ride to numerous cities in the Sanpete County area, including Mt. Pleasant, Fountain Green, Gunnison and Ephraim, as well as Levan, collecting playing cards. Pledges in support of their efforts are being collected prior to the event.

Following the “run,” there will be a dance and other activities at the Wind Walker Guest Ranch, which will be open to the public. There will also be a pre-poker run ride on Friday throughout the region, and Sunday there will be games and other activities at the ranch. Some BACA members and other participants may also camp at the rodeo grounds in Mt. Pleasant throughout the weekend, and do some leisurely riding as well. “There are some pleasurable rides down there,” Bailey says. U.S. Highway 89 was named the No. 1 riding trail in the nation a couple of years ago by the American Motorcycle Association.

For more information Contact:

Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502
or BACA members John Motsinger (801) 224-7583 or Todd Bailey, (801) 763-0887.

 

“Artists at Work” to stop at local furniture maker’s shop – Press Release – 4/13/2003

DATE 4/13/2003 6:24 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Heritage Council on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.

“Artists at Work” to stop at local furniture maker’s shop

When the inaugural Artists at Work tour rolls into Mt. Pleasant next month, participants will get the chance to see an “artist at work” and experience a bit of history courtesy of local furniture maker Dale Peel. Peel, who owns Peel Furniture Works on Mt. Pleasant’s historic Main Street, creates wooden furniture, mostly reproductions of the type of furnishings commonly seen in Utah homes 100 years ago. “We call it Mormon pioneer furniture,” says Peel, who has displayed his creations in his Main Street shop for the past 10 years. Peel’s store also doubles as his shop and studio for himself and two assistants, which makes his business an ideal stop for the touring group. The “Artists at Work” tour, which will make its inaugural visit to the area May 13-16, is designed to give arts writers, photographers and enthusiasts a chance to learn about the artists and artisans who work and live along U.S. Highway 89.

The four-day tour will take people who write about the arts for newspapers, magazines, books and other publications on a tour of U.S. Highway 89. The group will stop at studios and museums along the historic route to allow participants to spend time with and observe artists at work.

In Peel’s shop, they are likely to see him working on a reproduction piece or a custom-made order. “One of our specialties is our Great Basin features — furniture built out of wood that is one to two inches thick and has exposed dove tails.”

Peel, who is from Mt. Pleasant, studied fine art painting and drawing in graduate school in Los Angeles. He also taught art in elementary school in Las Vegas before returning to his hometown some 12 years ago. “I have always been interested in wood working and making wooden furniture, so after I moved back to the area, I decided it was what I was going to do.”

Peel uses pine or local conifers in his creations. “I’m referring to white or red pine, spruce and Douglas fir,” he says. His most popular pieces tend to be tables, but he can build just about anything, from beds and couches to large armoires. “People will sometimes bring me pictures out of magazines, or designers will show me a drawing and ask me to build what they’ve drawn only twice as big.” He has also found a niche with home preservationists, who own old homes in the area and are interested in furnishing them with reproductions that are in keeping with the time period.

One of Peel’s most unusual reproductions is that of the “Mormon Sofa,” a sort of futon-before-its-time. “It’s basically a wooden couch that would have had a straw tick on it back then, with slats that allow the couch to be turned into a bed.” The straw tick has been upgraded and updated to a special-made cushion, of course.

Following their visit to Peel’s Furniture Works, the tour group will move on to Spring City, where they will stay overnight. Other overnight stops include Kanab and Escalate. The tours are funded by a grant received by the Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council from the U.S. Forest Service and National Endowment for the Arts.

Tour participants will also learn about the area’s history, including little-known facts about colonizer Brigham Young, the escapades of outlaw Butch Cassidy and the poignant story of Native American Chief Black Hawk.

For more information Contact:Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

First Artists at Work Tour Scheduled – Press Release 4/07/2003

DATE 4/07/2003 9:50 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Heritage Council on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.

First Artists at Work Tour Scheduled

The inaugural Artists at Work tour, designed to give arts writers, photographers and enthusiasts a chance to learn about the artists and artisans who work and live along U.S. Highway 89, has been scheduled for May 13 – 16. The four-day tour will take people who write about the arts for newspapers, magazines, books and other publications on a tour of U.S. Highway 89. The group will stop at studios and museums along the historic route to allow participants to spend time with and observe artists at work. The purpose is to attract people both nationally and internationally to the region. The trips are free of charge to the writers, but are also open to paying arts enthusiasts interested in learning more the art and history of the region. The tours are funded by a grant received by the Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council from the U.S. Forest Service and National Endowment for the Arts. The cities and town along U.S. Highway 89 are known for being rich in art and art history. Well-known local artists and works of art include the famous late sculptor Avard Fairbanks and his works on Abraham Lincoln; Ephraim artist Larry Nielsen whose paintings on wood have made their way to the White House; and the newly-restored historic Moroni Opera House.

The tours will leave from Salt Lake City, and make three over-night stops in Kanab, Escalante and Spring City. Tour participants will also learn about the area s history, including little-known facts about colonizer Brigham Young, the escapades of outlaw Butch Cassidy and the poignant story of Native American Chief Black Hawk.

The tours are being conducted, in part, by Mary Ellen Elggren from Clawson-Sheilds Tours, who as already completed several similar guided tours of the region. Elggren said the first Artists at Work tour should have about 25 participants, including about 10 people from the Utah, national and international media.

For more information Contact:Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

 

Local Business Advocate Wins Award for Efforts Along U.S. Highway 89 – Press Release 3/30/2003

DATE 3/30/2003 4:55 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Heritage Council on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.

Local Business Advocate Wins Award for Efforts Along U.S. Highway 89

Gary Anderson, a Utah State University extension agent and former mayor of Ephraim, has received an award from the Small Business Administration for his efforts in starting and promoting businesses along U.S. Highway 89, the Heritage Highway. Anderson will receive the award during a ceremony in Salt Lake City on May 5. He was recognized in the State and Region 8″ division by the federal agency. Anderson has been involved in numerous endeavors related to promoting and starting businesses in the communities along U.S. Highway 89, the Heritage Highway. He has been working with local craft makers and business owners on ways to market their products and promote the highway, and says they are making slow, but steady progress. The most difficult part is taking someone s idea and turning it into something that is marketable and profitable, he says. Anderson has been focusing on helping develop co-op stores where craft makers and producers can display and sell their wares. The biggest issue along the highway is that artists and artisans don t have the storefronts for people to see and buy their products, he says. We are trying to organize several co-ops along the highway so that groups of artists can share space and work together to promote and sell their crafts.

Plans call for developing co-op stores at the four corners of the highway. This will include new stories in Glendale, Escalante, Elsinore and improving the existing Ephraim Co-op. The Ephraim Co-op has been in business since 1989 and is home to the crafts and products of about 65 local producers. The Glendale shop, the Long Valley Co-op at Apple Hollow, is on track to eventually display the works of 30 to 50 local artists. Anderson and other USU extension also plan to study how the co-ops are run to find ways of making them more productive and profitable.

Anderson has also worked on two separate feasibility studies that pertain to business activity along U.S. Highway 89, including the plausibility of the highway receiving national historical designation, an effort being promoted by U.S. Senator Bob Bennett. The university also studied the feasibility of having the cities and towns along the highway support tourism efforts through local attractions and the production of handmade crafts, items and art work, which prompted the four corners developments.

The studies were conducted in collaboration with the Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance, which is comprised of representatives from the cities that lie between Kanab and Fairview along the highway. The Alliance includes artists, craft makers, shop and inn keepers, outfitters, restaurant owners and the public sector.

In addition to his efforts along the highway, the award also recognized a course that Anderson teaches at Snow College s Small Business Development Center, one of 12 regional centers in the state that assist small business owners.

For more information Contact:Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

 

Sanpete County to play host to Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) fund raising activities – Press Release 3/23/2003

DATE 03/23/2003 7:29 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Heritage Council on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.

Sanpete County to play host to Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) fund raising activities

Sanpete County will play host to between 100 and 300 members of the Utah chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA), who are gathering in the region April 25 – 27 for a weekend of fund raising activities. The group, organized about five years ago with the goal of creating a safer environment for abused children, will be staying at the Wind Walker Guest Ranch outside of Mt. Pleasant. The ranch will be used as a starting base for a weekend “poker run” aimed at raising money for the group’s cause. Bikers will ride to numerous cities in the Sanpete County area, including Fountain Green, Gunnison, Ephraim and Mt. Pleasant, as well as Levan, collecting playing cards and pledges along the way. BACA works with local and state officials to lend emotional and physical support to abused children, including supporting them at court and parole hearings and attending interviews. The organization now has 24 chapters in 22 states and in Canada.

The weekend event, which is being held at the end of April as part of National Child Abuse Prevention month, is being coordinated with assistance from Loretta Johnson, owner of the Wind Walker Guest Ranch, and Curt Hawkins, who has helped organize tours of U.S. Highway 89, the Heritage Highway. Hawkins says he became acquainted with BACA while covering a court trial in Utah County. “I’m not a biker, not even close, but I heard about what they do and I was drawn to it. The dedication of this group has simply blown me away.

“Every year, BACA sponsors events like this one to raise money for children, and I thought that Sanpete County and the Wind Walker Guest Ranch was the perfect venue for it, not to mention Highway 89.”

Hawkins points out that the historic highway 89 was named the No. 1 riding trail in the nation a couple of years ago by the American Motorcycle Association. “It has some of the most scenic riding trails around,” he says.

The fund raising “poker run” will be held on Saturday, with bikers riding through the participating communities. “We should have between 100 to 300 bikers, and they tend to attract a lot of attention wherever they go,” Hawkins says. Following the “run,” there will be a dance and other activities at the Wind Walker Guest Ranch, which will be open to the public. Sunday there will be games and other activities at the ranch. Some BACA members and other participants may also camp at the rodeo grounds in Mt. Pleasant throughout the weekend.

For more information Contact:Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council at (435) 462-2502, or BACA members John Motsinger (801) 224-7583 or Todd Bailey, (801) 763-0887.

Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

Listening to his Canvas Takes Ephraim Artist to White House and Beyond – Press Release 10/30/2002

DATE 10/30/2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Heritage Council on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.

Listening to his Canvas Takes Ephraim Artist to White House and Beyond

Wood painter Larry Nielson has always listened to his canvas. The Ephraim artist says he always examines every piece of wood carefully before picking up his paint brush. It is almost as if the wood tells him what to paint, like it has its own spirit, Nielson has said. Nielson was listening very closely the day a piece of wood told him to paint a likeness of a famous battle scene, the image of the marines raising the flag at Iwo Jima in 1945. It came as quite a surprise. “It was strange because I have never painted anything patriotic, I tend to mostly paint Native Americans and wildlife,” Nielson says. But there was just something about the gnarly, knotty piece of wood that Nielson had sitting in his garage for more than a year. “The wood was almost neurotic looking and for whatever reason, when I looked at it that day, this dramatic and disturbing image came to me from out of the wood. Maybe it is because it is one of the most famous war scenes in history, I don’t know.”Nielson started painting the image of the likeness of the raising of the flag and said that he finished it the night of Sept. 10, 2001. “I remember coming in and showing it to my mother and sister, who thought it was unusual that I painted a military scene. The very next day, as we all know, the world changed. We were all in such shock and feeling so horrified that it didn’t strike me until a couple days later that it was more than a coincidence.“I know it sounds unbelievable, but I don’t care, I know that I was inspired to paint something that day that I never before would have considered painting. At the time, I had no idea that the painting would end up where it did.”Where that painting ended up was in the hands of the President of the United States. And a special print of that painting also travelled around the United States and was signed by members of the U.S. Marines who served in World War II. “Just last week, 65 marines who were on the island signed the print and there are plans for even more to sign it. It is pretty profound what is going on right now with this art work. I feel a certain humility about it all. These guys are all heros and here they are signing my print because something about it touched them. It is just incredible,” Nielson says.How the original Iwo Jima image made its way to George W. Bush is an interesting story. Nielson was showing some work at the SCERA in Orem during a Michael Martin Murphy concert and the Iwo Jima piece was included in the display. One of the people who saw it was a man named Grenade Currant, an independent film producer who declared “this should go to the President.”

“I didn’t think much about it, I didn’t think he could be serious,” Nielson says. But it turned out that Curran is friends with Joe Lake, who is involved with several charities, including the Children’s Miracle Network. Joe Lake just happens to be friends with President Bush. “I got a call that I had to get art in the mail as soon as possible. I didn’t even have time to put it in a frame. I wrapped it up in bubble wrap and sent it on its way. I did get to write a little note to the president, which was an amazing experience,” Nielson says. The art was later presented to the president during a rally in Los Angeles by actor Rick Schroder.

But what happened next has touched Nielson even more. A veteran named Keith Renstrom heard about Nielson’s work. “We started talking and he made such an impression on me,” Nielson says. “He has such a zest for life.” Nielson told Renstrom that he had made a negative of the image he had sent to President Bush. “So I made him a print.” Renstrom decided to take the print to a marine reunion in San Antonio, Texas, where he had veterans from all over the United States sign it. “When I heard about it, it really blew my mind,” Nielson says. “I felt such a reverence.”

Renstrom has plans to collect even more signatures and then wants to see the print end up somewhere “very important.” “At this point, I don’t know where the print will end up, and I don’t care,” Nielson says. “Something very important is going on here. The print doesn’t really belong to me any more. It belongs to all of the men who signed it, because they were there, they are real and each has a very dramatic story to tell. And it belongs to the public. Young people especially need to be aware of the fact that wars were fought. I think what happened in New York sobered up a lot of people.” 

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry Nielsen
Wind and Wings Wood Works
Ephraim, UT 84627
Wind and Wings
PO Box 8169
Midvale, Utah 84047
801-568-9792 (phone)
801-566-7779 (fax)
Email: custserv@windandwings.com

OR For more information Contact:Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

Newly-designed Arapeen Trail offers Riders Hundreds of Miles of Joy – Press Release 10/28/2002

DATE 10/28/2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Heritage Council on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.

Newly-designed Arapeen Trail offers Riders Hundreds of Miles of Joy

There may be lots of ways to “lose yourself” while riding ATV’s around Sanpete County’s Arapeen Trail System, but actually losing your way won’t be one of them, thanks to the efforts by the U.S. Forest Service’s Bill Broadbear and countless volunteers.Broadbear, along with local residents and others from the U.S. Forest Service, recently completed a redesign of the Arapeen Trail system. The routes, most of which are found primarily in the Manti LaSal National forest, have been carefully marked and mapped. It was done to ensure that riders of ATV’s or four-wheelers find their way around the some 370 miles that make up the trail system. The redesign, several years in the making, also includes bridges, culverts and water bars.“The area has really grown in popularity, it is heavily used from about May through October, which is what prompted us to do this new map. We were responding to the huge demand,” Broadbear says. He adds that many of the ATV trails already existed, “But unless you were a local rider or someone who was very familiar with the area, it was hard to find you way back to the point at which you started.” Broadbear says that he and others worked closely with local riders, ATV clubs and other groups on the new design. “What we did was link up all of the trails on both sides of the mountain and put up signs that are easy to read and recognize.”

The trail may be accessed from several locations in both the west and east. In the west, access may be gained through Fairview, Spring City, Ephraim, Manti and Mayfield, and in the east, from Clawson, Ferron, Emery and Orangeville.

There is no cost to use the trail system, and there is a major volunteer policing and maintenance effort underway, Broadbear says. “We have local riders wearing special vests out on their ATV’s regularly, making sure people stay on the trails and offering advice and assistance. The volunteer effort to get this project off the ground and running has been amazing. There are literally hundreds of volunteer hours on this.

“All we keep hearing from people what a great riding opportunity it is and how much they enjoy the system, so it is all worth it.”

For information or to obtain a map of the Arapeen Trail System, contact the US Forest Service at its regional offices: (435) 283-4151; (435) 384-2372 or (435) 636-3500.

For more information Contact:Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502
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