Kevin – Saturday. The ‘First Encampment Hike’ is one of those annual Utah events celebrating the arrival of the Advance Company which arrived July 22 of 1847. It is always held the Saturday before July 24th. This will be the 28th annual hike and the second time I’ve participated. There are families, kids, oldsters, converts, missionaries, descendants, relatives and folks just out for a history hike. Some dress like pioneers but most just come in regular modern clothes. AND, you get a commemorative button for participating. [see footnote below]
Promptly at 7 AM the hike begins at the Donner Hill Trail Park at the mouth of Emigration Canyon. It follows (as closely as possible) the south side of Emigration Creek and ends at the site of the ‘first encampment’ – where the advance group of Saints camped the night of July 22, 1847. Brother Brigham, still very sick, was camped a few miles back.
For this hike with Denny and I are Mark Woodbury and Brent Holladay, one of his sons, Seth and other family friends. Mark you’ve been introduced to before. Brent Holladay and Seth are descendants of the Mississippi Saints. Brent will be speaking at the symposia on the 24th.
After hiking and biking through Wyoming the past month, this route through subdivisions and along city streets isn’t our usual cup of tea, but after 177 years, well, you get city and all the development that comes along with it.
Perhaps I forgot to mention it earlier this month while the Woodbury’s were with us, but Mark is either related to anyone we meet or he knows someone in their family. It’s uncanny. Six degrees of separation? HA! Try one or two at most. It never ceases to amaze me. Before we take the first step, he meets Eilene Ferris and find they are both related to William Carter of the Vanguard Company.
It’s an easy 5-miles barely downhill to a small city park created to commemorate the location of the 1847 First Encampment. It’s at the southwest corner of 1700 South and 500 East. A grouping of boulders with pioneer names etched into them are arranged to represent the Wasatch mountains and the valley. Cute.
The advance group stayed at this site only one night, then backtracked a mile and made their way north to where the Salt Lake City and County building is located (400 S and State Street). Later the entire population moved to develop the ‘old fort’ a little further west.
After the hike there was a breakfast and across the street, the Wilford Woodruff historic home was open for tours. The photo was taken in February during a separate tour, hence the winter coats. The owner is a direct descendant of Wilford Woodruff and has restored the original cabin portion to the early days of its habitation. Exposed hand-hewn beams and boards, adobes and some early furnishings add to the experience.
The remainder of the day was devoted to more tasks related to our return and we even got a short nap in. Happily, tomorrow is a full day of rest.
[footnote: Just to be clear, the background image used for this year’s commemorative button depicts part of a story related to the Hole in the Rock mission.]