Issue 39.10
Part 2
Following the arrival of the Mormons in Utah in 1847, Brigham Young sent exploring parties in every direction from Great Salt Lake City to search for possible settlement sites. In November 1849, Parley P. Pratt led an expedition into future Iron and Washington counties. Near Parowan, Pratt divided his group: one under the leadership of David Fullmer stayed in the Parowan area to explore and Pratt led a second party south to the St. George area. His group like Dominguez and Escalante and Jedediah Smith, went over the rim of the Great Basin. Pratt wrote in his journal: “From the Basin Rim 13 miles of rapid descent brought us to milder climate and first (Indian) cultivation. A mile or so farther brought us to the banks of the Virgin. The great Wasatch range along which we had traveled our whole journey terminates in several abrupt promontories.” [Utah Historical Quarterly, April 1950, 133] Some have conjectured that Pratt and his party assigned the name Kolob to the canyons they passed, but the official party journal makes no mention of such a designation. Pratt’s party after exploring along the lower Virgin River and Santa Clara Creek returned to Parowan by way of the Old Spanish Trail. Their discovery of iron west of future Cedar City led to the settlement of Iron County in January 1851.
By 1854, in addition to the communities of Cedar City and Parowan, an Indian mission and farm was established at Fort Harmony just east of present day New Harmony. The grand beauty of the Fingers of the Kolob was daily presented to these settlers. Thomas D. Brown, secretary of the mission wrote describing the scenic features of the Kolob and Zion area:
“What abrupt terminations are these to the two chains of mountains east and west, like leaping places at the world’s end? But see over Ash Creek to the east, what table lands are these broken off so abruptly? By floods of water? What lofty spires! What turrets! What walls! What bastions what outworks to some elevated Forts! What battlements are these? What inaccessible ramparts? From these no doubt is often heard Heaven’s artillery cannonading. What guards patrol these boundaries of the northern Rio Virgin?” [Brooks, Brown Diary, 46]
It is likely that missionaries and perhaps Brown himself were the ones who suggested the name Kolob for the region east of Harmony. In his mission journal, Brown writes a poem inspired by admiration of Kolob Canyon. It is entitled the “Missionary Song” and in it he mentions Kolob as the place from which the missionaries’ fathers had journeyed so that they could preach salvation to the Indians. The magnificent view is still had by those who drive west to New Harmony then turn around for the incredible scene to the east. Take the trip to New Harmony on clear day with a few fluffy white clouds in the sky. Next week we journey into the Kolob Canyon for an early impression.