Survival in Utah's Dixie
The warm, comfortable, productive climate in the sheltered valleys along the meandering Rio Virgin and its lower tributaries in Washington County became known as "Utah's Dixie".
The rugged pioneer colonizers and their descendants are known as "Dixieites" and the stalwart men and women who took hundreds of covered wagon loads of "Dixie Sorghum", "Dixie Fruit", "Dixie Wine", nuts, dried fruit, figs, pomegranates, etc. northwards to sell and barter in communities as far north as Salt Lake City became known as "Dixie Peddlers!".
Cotton was grown in "Utah’s Dixie" in the late 1800’s. Fruit crops matured three weeks earlier in "Utah’s Dixie" than similar crops in the Provo area.
The perservering Pioneers of the communities of "Utah’s Dixie" were constantly having their integrity honed by the heart-breaking hardships of adversity. These rare qualities of integrity have been carried throughout the world by leaders throughout the world by leaders who have their family roots in "Utah’s Dixie!".
[Picture in the center]
This 1924 photo shows the east side of Main Street in Cedar City. Wagons loaded with sacks of wool from
Gould's Shearing Corral, near Hurricane, are being taken to the railroad for shipment in Lund, Utah.
This historic plaque sponsored by the family of Verl and Margaret Sanders, owners of Sanders Construction, Inc., Henderson, Nevada, in honor of Verl’s parents, Moroni and Mildred "Millie" Zabriskie Sanders.
Moroni was born Oct. 18, 1903 in LaVerkin, Utah. He was the first boy born in this pioneer community and later served 16 years as City Mayor. He was also a Dixie Peddler.
Moroni and his brothers Bill and Ervil were Pioneer turkey growers and hatchery owners for many years in Utah’s Dixie. Moroni’s father and mother, William and Sara Amelia Wilson Sanders, were Dixie Peddlers and Dixie Sorghum makers and members of the first LaVerkin L.D.S. Ward organized June 23, 1904.
Moroni’s wife, "Millie", was a talented musician and Grand Daughter of James C. Snow who owned Snowfield and was the first School Teacher in Bellevue, a prominent camping spot for Dixie Peddlers, at the south end of the Black Ridge.
[Left column of plaque]
The Dixie Peddler
by Owen Sanders
A train of white topped wagons
Creaked out of the Dixie dawn--
Jolting, squeaking and swaying
Over the rough road drawn.
Sturdy men on the wagon seats
Spoke to their well-matched teams;
Then, when the road grew easy,
Sat wrapped in their Dixie dreams.
These Dixie Peddler Pioneers
Their wagons laden with fruit
Were on the road to northern towns
To trade fruit for cash and boot.
At hard-won points on the dusty trail
They would camp at noon and night
And around the grub-box gather
To eat by the campfire light.
Eager sons were in these groups
To follow their fathers’s directions,
Whistling and scuffing their calloused feet
As they harnessed the teams with perfection.
Rough days slid by in tiring procession
Long nights soothed their weary souls;
Each dawn, new zeal and hope were born
When they neared their northern goals.
At the towns in the north, the fruit was sold
Or swapped for clothing or food--
Each man was a salesman, selling his goods
For his family’s livelihood.
When the fruit was sold, or traded,
And the wagons toward Dixie turned
Songs rang high, in the northern sky
While the road dust billowed and churned.
Now, scores of these Dixie Peddlers
Lie sleeping beneath the sod
But many descendants follow their pattern
Of service to neighbor and God!
[Right column of plaque]
Dixie Sorghum
by Owen Sanders
What secret does our valley have that makes us glow with pride?
What beacon guides us onward with purpose in our stride?
The guiding star of Heritage collected from our past
leads us ever onward to glorious goals that last!
Our Mothers taught us how to pray our Fathers how to work
And daily duties trained us to never, ever shirk.
Thus "Love of Neighbors" in our towns became a natural creed
Implanted in our actions; in every thought and deed.
Mem'ries built through action throughout our youthful years
Became impinged upon our thoughts through work, and love, and tears!
The tiresome task of making Sorghum and growing Sorghum cane
Built vivid thoughts that never fades of toil, and faith, and pain.
Dixie Sorghum started years of constant sweat and moil;
The Pioneer Seglers brought the seed to start this endless toil!
Planting, thinning, hoeing to grow the seed topped cane
Helped give our Utah’s Dixie its magic world-wide fame.
When jointed cane grew tall and plump and clustered seed
Harvest work moved forward with urgent Autumn speed.
Sorghum mills and cooking vats; holding tanks for juice
Barrels and cans for sorghum were bought for harvest use.
The rolls on the mill went 'round and 'round turned by a horse drawn sweep;
The men feeding cane to the turning rolls must a tireless vigil keep.
They must duck their sweaty, weary heads as the long sweep circled by
Or risk seeing countless, flashing stars in a cloudless, sun-drenched sky!
The gentle, cooling, night-time breeze carried the sweet smell higher
Of bubbling, boiling, juice filled vats over the wood burning fire.
Experts skimmed the scum from the froth pausing to make a test
'Til the bubbling, gurgling sorghum that was labeled "Dixie’s best!"
To have to peddle, barter and sell built many great leaders of man
And altered countless timid doubts to thoughts that said, “I can.”
Thus Heritage built by fearless faith, work, vision and guts
Kept folks in our valley from stumbling into many Mind-Made ruts!
In wintertime the seed from the cane was used for farmyard stock;
Fed to pigs, horses and cows or flung on the ground for the flock.
Bagasse was used for lambing pens and snug, warm calving beds;
This cane, crushed dry by the sorghum mill made warm, dry, pioneer sheds.