Something Interesting

Utah history.

I'm not a huge history buff. My problem with history is retention. I can study something historical with great interest, and then three weeks later, not remember it. It's like the part of my brain that files history doesn't work. History frustrates me because I have to keep learning the same things over and over.

I just want perfect recall. Is that so much to ask?

Anyway, despite my inability to remember historical information, I enjoy learning little tidbits about Utah's history. The best way to do this is to go out and experience it!

Two weeks ago we went exploring near the Great Salt Lake.

Salty Earth

Then last week we checked out the mines in Sunshine Canyon.

Note my shadow laying on the grate

This week we went to the Iosepa cemetery. 

Iosepa Settlement Cemetery

Mormon Church converts from Polynesia settled in

Skull Valley in 1889-1917 for the Church-owned

Iosepa Agriculture and Stock Company...

Their settlement located 1/2 mile to the southwest

and named Iosepa (Joseph) after Joseph F. Smith, then

president of the Church, flourished until 1917

when a Hawaiian temple was constructed. Most

of the islanders returned to their homeland...

many who succumbed to the hardship 

of the land are buried in this cemetery. 

The cemetery is all that remains of Iosepa. The reasons for the settlement are a little sad - discrimination played a role. But I love the reasons the emigrants came to Utah - they wanted to be near the temple!

Centennial monument dedicated by Presiden Gordon B. Hinckley

Most of the graves in the cemetery are from the late 1800's and early 1900's. Many of them are unmarked. There are quite a few infant graves. 

There are also a handful of recent graves. 

This is probably the coolest grave marker I've ever seen:

The guitar enthusiast was the most recent burial - August 2019. 

Some descendants of the Iosepans gather at the cemetery in celebration of Memorial Day each year. There is a pavilion with a makeshift basketball court, several picnic tables (which a young man did for his Eagle project), and a stage. One thing I know about Polynesians... they know how to party! And they truly honor their ancestors. 

Another unique feature of the cemetery is that it has a playground - the old, awesome, dangerous to modern-day children kind (our favorite kind)! We've been following the advisement to not take children to playgrounds right now, so it was a real treat to find one in the middle of the desert.