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

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.

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 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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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, 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.

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 28^th

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 28^th 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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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“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.” 

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

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.