July 22, 2011
The Director of the National Park Service is pleased to send you the following announcements and actions on properties for the National Register of Historic Places. For further information contact Edson Beall via voice (202) 354-2255, or E-mail: <Edson_Beall@nps.gov> This and past Weekly Lists are also available here: http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/nrlist.htm
More newly designated National Historic Landmarks Announced (see below).
WEEKLY LIST OF ACTIONS TAKEN ON PROPERTIES: 7/11/11 THROUGH 7/15/11
KEY: State, County, Property Name, Address/Boundary, City, Vicinity, Reference Number, NHL, Action, Date, Multiple Name
UTAH, WASHINGTON COUNTY,
Mountain Meadows Massacre Site, West of SR 18, approximately 3 miles North of Central, Central vicinity, 11000562, NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK DESIGNATED/LISTED, 6/23/11.
According to Wikipedia and the plaques at the site, the Mountain Meadows Massacre involved a mass slaughter of the Fancher-Baker emigrant wagon train at Mountain Meadows in the Utah Territory by the local Mormon militia in September 1857. It began as an attack, quickly turned into a siege, and eventually culminated on September 11, 1857, in the execution of 120 men, women and children.
The Arkansas emigrants were traveling to California from Arkansas shortly before the so-called Utah War started. Mormons throughout the Utah Territory had been mustered to fight the United States Army, which they believed was intending to destroy them as a people. During this period of tension, rumors among the Mormons also linked the Fancher-Baker train with enemies who had participated in previous persecutions of Mormons or more recent malicious acts.
The emigrants stopped to rest and regroup their approximately 800 head of cattle at Mountain Meadows, a valley within the Iron County Military District of the Nauvoo Legion (the popular designation for the militia of the Utah Territory).
Initially intending to orchestrate an Indian massacre, two men with leadership roles in local military, church and government organizations, Isaac C. Haight and John D. Lee, conspired to lead militiamen disguised as American Indians along with a contingent of Paiute tribesmen in an attack in the early morning hours of September 7th. The emigrants fought back and a siege ensued. Intending to leave no witnesses of Mormon complicity in the siege and also intending to prevent reprisals that would complicate the Utah War, militiamen induced the emigrants to surrender and give up their weapons with the promise of safe passage to Cedar City. After escorting the emigrants out of circled wagons, the militiamen and their tribesmen auxiliaries executed approximately 120 men, women and children suddenly and without warning. Seventeen younger children were spared.
Investigations, interrupted by the U.S. Civil War, resulted in nine indictments in 1874. Only John D. Lee was ever tried, and after two trials, he was convicted. On March 23, 1877 a firing squad executed Lee at the massacre site.
The original monument at this site was established by the U.S. Army. Military officials marked some other burial sites in the valley. In 1990, Mountain Meadows Memorial was erected on a hill.
The photos were taken by a friend, Richard Naylor.