Indians and Mormons and homeless animals...

Click the picture for a tour of Pipe Springs National Monument


Today was the day we thought our sightseeing would begin. That was before we started on this journey and saw so many wonderful things along the way to "the show." We are currently residing in Kanab, UT, which is a cute little town, obviously devoted to its tourists. That devotion is apt, because Kanab sits within a day's drive of an amazing array of sightseeing meccas. These include: Bryce Canyon National Park (NP), Zion NP, Pipe Springs National Monument, the north rim of the Grand Canyon, and Lake Powell, to name a few.

Today, in the hub of all of these places, we chose first to do...our laundry. It has been many years since I used a coin laundry, sometimes known as a laundromat. It was not too unpleasant. Jill and I carried our load across the street from the Hitch 'n' Post RV park, where we are camped. We took along a couple of cheesy novels and some laundry soap, and within about an hour, we had clean undies and sox and towels and PJs and jeans and shirts. Well, it was just a miracle to me, and all for the sum of $2.25.

When we returned to the coach, we decided to take the advice of the park owner and make a trip out to Pipe Springs National Monument. This is an interesting place. There is a natural spring there that for centuries was used by the local indians. When the Mormons moved into the area, Brigham Young encouraged them to homestead. Well, a fellow named James Whitmore (no, not the actor) "signed some papers" and was given 160 acres, including the spring. He began farming the area, but shortly, a band of indians showed up and ran him off the land and killed him.

Young encouraged the settlers in the region to retreat back closer to Salt Lake for protection. Later, when things seemed to have calmed down, the Mormon church bought Whitmore's land from his widow and established a "tithing farm." This was a fully functional farm, the purpose of which was to provide work for people, so they could tithe to the church. In addition, the farm produced butter, cheese, beef, sheep, and vegetables, with which they fulfilled a contract with the church to provide supplies for some 400 workers, who were engaged in building the Mormon Temple.

The current buildings at the monument site have been rebuilt on the original sites and, as nearly as possible, to the original specifications. There are two cabins, one of which housed the people who were sent by the church to work the farm. The other was used as a barracks for guards who were part of the Mormon militia that guarded the spring. In addition, there is a fortress built around the spring itself. It is called Winsor Castle, after the original occupant and overseer of the farm. This building also housed the first telegraph office in southern Utah.

The farm and all the buildings are now jointly operated by the National Parks Service and the Kaibab band of the Paiute Indian nation. It is a fascinating place, rich with history. The fortress, for example, not only protected the spring and the settlers from indian raids, but it also was used later as a kind of an underground railway to protect polygamist Mormons from Federal marshalls who were sent to the area to ensure that the Mormons abandoned polygamy as a condition for Utah statehood.

We returned from our visit to Pipe Springs and had a fine lunch of homemade soup. Then we decided to round out the afternoon with a visit to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Angel Canyon, just north of Kanab. This operation is the largest non-euthanizing animal shelter in the U. S. It covers some 33,000 acres and is home to thousands of domestic animals, including cats, dogs, rabbits, horses, and birds which have been abandoned or injured or otherwise unable to be cared for elsewhere. The operation is impressive, and I believe is fully funded by donations.

We took a guided tour of the facilities, which was very interesting. Jill and I both felt that it is a shame that there aren't similar facilities to provide for humans who are abandoned or injured or otherwise unable to be cared for.

The facility is nestled in Angel Canyon, which is a beautiful red stone canyon with Kanab creek flowing through it. It has been the setting for more than 100 movies and TV shows about the old west, including "The Outlaw Josie Wales" and "The Apple Dumpling Gang." All things considered, Jill and I agreed that this was a satisfying day!

Click the picture for some more photos of Angel Canyon