Call it the "Scenic Route."
Call it a "Heritage Highway."
Call it a journey through time and space unlike any other in the entire country.
The 250-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 89 that runs from Fairview on the north through Kanab on the south is an area rich in history, architecture and events that illustrate well the Mormon colonization experience, according to Monte Bona, a Mt. Pleasant councilman who is chairman of the Sanpete Heritage Council and the Heritage Highway Alliance.
The alliance was formed in July 2000, when Sanpete County joined with five other counties along Highway U.S. 89 to create an association to encourage tourism and business development along the corridor. They have pushed for the development of "heritage crafts," products that reflect the pioneer legacy of the area, and have established "heritage events" that also highlight that history.
One of their goals is the hoped-for designation of the area as a National Mormon Pioneer Heritage Area, comparable to the Automobile Heritage Area in Michigan, the Rivers of Steel Heritage Area in Pennsylvania, the Coal Heritage Area in West Virginia and the Civil War Battlefield Heritage Area in Tennessee.
These are all areas that illustrate some significant development in American history, said Bona. "Along Highway 89 you find the best examples of the early Utah colonization experience. A lot of people are aware of the impact that Mormon colonization had on the development of the West. We line up against other National Heritage areas very well."
The Heritage Highway Association, which also includes the Boulder loop, has already had a significant impact on the area. It has worked closely with the Small Business Administration and with the Utah State University Extension Service to create and market products in keeping with the philosophy of the highway. They are now combining with technology, said Bona, to beef up the online presence. Travel trends indicate that this summer more people are likely to travel closer to home and by car instead of by airplane. "We hope people will travel the highway, but we hope they will also buy online."
A lot of the preservation of the area, Bona said, was due to poverty; towns didn't have the resources to replace old buildings, so they kept them around. Now, of course, they are glad to have them. "We have probably a thousand buildings that would qualify for the National Register of Historic Places. The landscape, the buildings — we have places that have not changed a lot in the past hundred years."
Since the Heritage Highway idea jelled, more preservation is occurring. The Moroni Opera House, the Social Hall in Fountain Green, a CCC building and a Presbyterian Church in Salina, a town building in Centerfield — they're all in the works. "It has encouraged communities to get involved. We have built coalitions," he said. "The most significant thing has been the bringing together of the six counties in a united effort. The national designation gives us a focus."
From top to bottom, the Heritage Highway offers exciting adventures, cultural experiences, arts and crafts, and extraordinary little treasures. Depending on your interests, you can find an American Indian connection, explore ghost towns, learn the lore and legends of outlaws, appreciate the faith and fortitude of early settlers, find ample opportunity for recreation or see where old-time Westerns were made. You can sample Scandinavian culture, visit National Parks, enjoy small towns or see breathtaking scenery.
Here is just a tiny sampling of some of the attractions:
HISTORY HOUSE, Manti. This charming little museum, tucked under the shadow of the elegant Manti Temple, focuses on the history of the area. Included are photos and stories of early residents, as well as a section on the Mormon Battalion.
There's a little dugout, where children delight in hearing the story of the pioneer woman who found she was sharing her house with snakes.
This summer, a special display will highlight the sesquicentennial of the arrival of the first Scandinavians in the area, said Jane Braithwaite, president of the non-profit museum's board of directors. "That's really going to be exciting." More and more people, she said, seem to be interested in those early settlers. "We really put an emphasis on the people," she said. That exhibit will be in place by mid-May, when History House opens for the season.
There will also be special displays during the "Mormon Miracle Pageant," which is the town's major summer celebration.
The Destiny Committee in Manti is also moving forward on plans for an enlarged museum and gardens that will not only interpret the history of the area, but will also be a repository for books, documents, photographs and artifacts that will aid research. It will also accommodate family reunions, workshops and other events. And it will provide a restful haven from the busy world, said Braithwaite.
THE BIG ROCK CANDY MOUNTAIN, outside of Marysvale. Harry McClintock was a brakeman on the Rio Grande Railroad that used to run behind this caramel-colored mountain. He wrote a song about "the lemonade springs, where the bluebird sings," which became a big hit for folksinger Burl Ives.
The resort includes river-side cabins, a country inn, cafe, gift store and candy store (which, of course, sells rock candy resembling pebbles and crystals). The resort offers a two-hour, six-mile river rafting trip on the Sevier River, RV parking, fishing, swimming, hiking, bicycling, horseback riding, kayaking and more.
PANGUITCH. You can pick any small town along the road and find little treasures. Panguitch is typical. Founded in 1864, it sits at an elevation of 6,600 feet. The name is Paiute for "big fish."
Along its Main Street, you can find such places as Cobblestone Cottage Peddler's Shoppe and the Thunder Horses Mercantile or Cowboy Collectibles and Custer's Ice Cream Shoppe. You can stop by the visitor's information center and pick up a walking-tour guide that will take you past 24 historic buildings constructed of Panguitch's famous "red brick."
Each summer, Panguitch celebrates one of the more unusual events in Utah history — the famous quilt walk. It seems that the first settlers almost didn't survive their first winter in the area. Heavy snows and dwindling supplies put them in jeopardy, and it was decided that several of the men would attempt a rescue mission — going over the mountain to Parowan to get supplies. But the men found it impossible to walk through the deep snows.
They had brought along some quilts to keep them warm, and as they spread out a quilt to sit on for a consultation about what they should do, they realized it didn't sink into the snow. They realized they could spread out the quilts and walk on them — a tedious, but effective, way of getting through the snow to Parowan and getting the supplied they needed. This feat is remembered in Quilt Walk Days each summer.
Panguitch is also home to a couple of nice home-grown museums: The Paunsagaunt Wildlife Museum, which offers close encounters with a variety of wildlife as well as a collection of antique wagons, farm equipment and Indian artifacts; and the Panguitch Pioneer Museum, which has been around since 1907 and holds a collection of early pioneer relics and memorabilia.
MAYNARD DIXON'S HOME, Mt. Carmel. Maynard Dixon, known for his paintings of the life and landscape of the West, loved the deserts, mountains, canyons and valleys of the Southwest.
In 1939, Dixon and his third wife, Edith Hamlin, drove through Utah's Long Valley and were enchanted by the sandstone cliffs and forested mountains. They decided to make their home in Mt. Carmel. (Dixon is also known for his connection to Dorothea Lange, his second wife.) Dixon was suffering from the onset of emphysema, and they hoped that the dried climate would be good for his lungs.
They built a rustic log-and-stone house with materials hauled down from Cedar Mountain. They painted, entertained guests, such as their friend Ansel Adams, and, during World War II, they supplemented their income by operating a small guest ranch.
Dixon died in 1946, and Hamlin kept the house as a summer home and studio. In 1963, it was purchased by Dixon's son, Daniel Milford Zornes, himself a watercolor artist.
In 1998, the house was available, and Susan and Paul Bingham "jumped at the chance" to own the historic property. They have carefully restored it "as a way to continue his legacy," said Susan. Tours are available to the public between April 1 and Labor Day. They cost $20 and must be scheduled in advance. Proceeds go to benefit the non-profit Thunderbird Foundation for the Arts.
Each summer, the Binghams also hold a gala featuring other artists in the area. "More people need to be aware of the artist who lived here," said Susan. At his request, Dixon's ashes were buried in the hillside overlooking the valley. He loved it here, she said. "He found serenity and inspiration here. And artists still come to be inspired by the same things he was."
MOQUI CAVE, outside of Kanab. One of the more unusual settings for a museum/gift shop, the Moqui Cave is a replica of cliff dwellings used by peoples who lived in this red-rock country around 900 B.C. The cave runs about 200 feet into the mountain, and in the cool interior, you can see American Indian artifacts, a fine collection of fluorescent minerals and an extensive collection of dinosaur tracks.
There's also artwork created by Garth G. Chamberlain, a self-taught sculptor and wood carver who established Moqui Cave. It is now operated by Lex and Lee Ann Chamberlain, who will be happy to give you a tour.
One of Lee Ann's favorite stories is about the frontier town that was run by women. In 1911, an all-woman town council and mayor were elected in Kanab — "the first time in the United States, or maybe the world, when an all-woman ticket was voted into office. Imagine that."
E-MAIL: carma@desnews.com