Thursday was my favorite day of vacation as the entire family decided to join me.
Our day started at a somber location, Mountain Meadows. In 1857 an emigrant wagon from Arkansas was attacked multiple times by Piute’s and Mormon Militia disguised as Piute’s. After a 5 days of attacks and a siege, undisguised Militia came forward waving a white flag, promising to end hostilities with the Native Americans.
Unaware of the deceit, the wagon train surrendered their weapons and separated into groups of men and women and children. At the signal of the militia leader, the men were all shot and killed by their escorts. The women and older children were beaten to death, sparing only seventeen children under the age of 7.
Multiple monuments mark the area, including a rock cairn over the gravesite of thirty-four of the victims.
Our next stop was much cheerier. Old Irontown, one of Utah’s first ghost towns. The town was established in 1868 to mine iron from Iron Mountain. The town survived until 1876. Multiple structures remain including a kiln, furnace and foundry.
Back to St. George where we found a little hole in the wall Mexican restaurant with the best guacamole. We bought extra and had it for dinner.
I will be writing full posts on both of these sites.
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