Mantua Historical Marker - Eagle Scout Project Sites on Waymarking.com

Little Valley, or Box Elder Valley, was well known to the early fur trappers and hunters that roamed the Wasatch Mountains. Native Americans moving south from Bear Lake passed through this valley during their annual migrations. But it wasn't until the Mormon immigrants arrived that there was a permanent settlement here. Following the founding of Brigham City by the Mormon Pioneers in 1851, Little Valley became a favorite herd-ground for the settler's livestock. In the spring of 1863, Lorenzo Snow, the ecclesiastical leader for the L.D.S. Church in the Brigham City area, called about a dozen Danish families to settle in Little Valley and try to raise flax to help with the supply of cloth. The climate of Little Valley, with its cool nights and short growing season, seemed to favor the growing of flax. It wasn't long before Little Valley's settlement was known as "Flaxville." The effort to raise flax was abandoned a few years later due to the coarseness of the cloth fibers.

The first year these families lived in dugouts (or cellars). They made their homes in the north and western part of the valley along Halling Creek and laid these homes out in the shape of a fort because of concerns regarding hostile Indians. The following year, some of the original settlers left to settle near Bear Lake, and other Danish immigrants joined those still remaining. As soon as possible, they built more permanent structures with homes being constructed primarily of adobe and wood. The coming of these settlers, all immigrants from Denmark, resulted in this valley being called "Little Denmark." Many present-day residents are direct descendants of those early Danish pioneers.

In the late spring of 1864, President Lorenzo Snow visited Little Valley and proclaimed a "Holy Day." Most of the settlers joined the group accompanying President Snow and climbed to the top of the small knoll on the east border of the valley. From that viewpoint, they could look across the entire valley, which spans an area about 1 1/2 by 2 1/4 miles. President Snow named the little knoll "Mount Hope" and dedicated the land and the water that it might be a blessing to the people. The settlement in Little Valley was named "Mantua" in honor of Lorenzo Snow's birthplace in Mantua, Ohio. It is said the word Mantua means "beautiful gown." Mantua residents, both past and present, recognize the striking beauty of this area, where lush mountain landscapes flow with vibrant, ever-changing colors. "Beautiful gown" is certainly an appropriate name for Little Valley, and its noble pioneer heritage is an inspiration to all.