There's a new pioneer monument in Salt Lake City. However, this one doesn't honor the 1847 pioneers, but rather those who traveled in wagons or on foot during a modern 1997 re-enactment of the original trek along the Mormon Trail from Omaha to Salt Lake City.
The 10-foot-high granite monument, "Angels Are Near Us," is located in This Is The Place Heritage Park, just northwest of the park's original monument and north of Hogle Zoo.
"There's room then, now and always for pioneers," Elder Hugh W. Pinnock of the Quorums of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said during the Saturday morning dedication of the monument.
He described pioneers as those who do a little more than expected. He said he feels the title of the new monument is appropriate because a belief in angels motivated the 1847 pioneers to stay true to their beliefs.
Elder Pinnock said he's often asked, could we today endure the pioneer trek of 1847?
"Of course we could," he said, explaining we are made from the same stock as they are.
The 1997 trek finished at This Is The Place Park exactly three years ago. Some 10,000 people participated in some part of the trek.
Elder Pinnock said the 1997 trek emerged from obscurity and gained worldwide publicity. That's why the dedication ceremony began with a procession of all the flags of the world.
"This is an ideal time to speak of hope of the future," he said.
Larry "Turbo" Stewart, the young man injured in a wagon accident during the 1997 re-enactment, was not able to attend the dedication as scheduled, but he was still the dedication's designated guest of honor.
Elder Pinnock said he hopes to visit "Turbo" in Nauvoo next week.
Robert "Bob" Lowe, wagonmaster for the 1997 trek, said he believes the re-enactment was more difficult than the original trek. That's because of all the environmental rules they had to follow. Also, the animals were hard-pressed to be traveling on asphalt and cement instead of dirt.
Still, he said it wasn't an easy time for the 1847 pioneers either, and that's why teamwork is the key.
"One person can't do it alone," he said. "It takes a multitude of people working together."
Tom and Sandy Van Leeuwen, who were in the 1997 trek, gave a poetic account of highlights from the event, from howling coyotes, to mosquitoes to storms, to childbirths to church mission calls.
Brian Hill, president of the 1997 wagon train, said the monument would serve as a great reminder to that trek and hopes it will help unite the community.
Stan Watts, a Utah sculptor, crafted the monument from the same granite quarry where the stones used for the Salt Lake LDS Temple originated.
The ceremony also featured a flyover of four F-16s from the 419th Fighter Squadron at Hill Air Force Base and plenty of music, including all the verses of "Come, Come Ye Saints."
"Doc" Bell, veterinarian for the 1997 wagon trek, offered the dedicatory prayer for the new monument. The Sons of Utah Pioneers, Sugar House Chapter, organized the dedication event.
E-mail: lynn@desnews.com