A History of Southern Utah and Its National Parks (Revised)Woodbury, Angus M. (Angus Munn)
History
A History of Southern Utah and Its National Parks (Revised)
Woodbury, Angus M. (Angus Munn)
National parks and reserves -- Utah -- History; Utah -- History
In 1870, Brigham Young sent a portable steam sawmill to Kanab and Levi
Stewart installed it near Scutumpah and the next year moved it to Big
Springs on the Kaibab. Many years later, it was moved farther south to
Castle or Rigg Springs.
In 1872, Major Powell’s party centered its work around the Kaibab. Part
of the time, this party camped near the Levi Stewart ranch and
sawmill.[92] At that time Eight-Mile Spring, Jacob’s Well, Oak Spring,
Pine Spring and Stewart’s ranch were all being used as grazing
headquarters. During that summer, Powell and a friend of his from
Illinois, Professor Harvey C. DeMotte, explored the roof of the Kaibab
and bestowed the name DeMotte Park upon the main valley (sometimes
called V T Park). In 1873, Thomas Moran, the well-known Western artist
who had been commissioned by the Federal government to paint the Grand
Canyon, made a trip by mule team from Salt Lake City to the Kaibab,
where Major Powell suggested the vantage from which he produced the
canvas of the Grand Canyon now hanging in the National Capitol.
The use of the Kaibab for grazing gradually increased. In 1877 the
United Order of Orderville acquired most of the holdings on the northern
Kaibab and controlled the range for about ten years, after which time
lands and stock passed into private ownership.
During the late 80’s, John W. Young (son of the Mormon leader),
representing the Mormon Church in England, conceived a grandiose scheme
for interesting English aristocracy in the Kaibab as a private
recreation area. He acquired the major holdings there and stocked it
with cattle and horses. Dan Seegmiller of Kanab was placed in charge of
operations. Young’s scheme fell through, but he was not discouraged. He
enlarged his plan for making the Kaibab a great hunting ground and
center of tourist travel with hotels and lodges for the English
nobility. Some interest was shown, and several British sportsmen decided
to investigate.
“Buffalo Bill” Cody was in England at the time with his wild west show,
and was anxious to dispose of his animals there and recruit his stock in
the United States. Young induced him to replenish in the Kaibab and to
act as guide for the English representatives. Junius Wells went as
Young’s agent. The trip was made in the summer of 1891. Dan Seegmiller
took wagons to Flagstaff, Arizona, on the railroad, to meet Buffalo Bill
and the Englishmen. He had with him Bill Crosby, Nate and Orza Adams and
Brig Young (son of John W. Young). They returned via Lee’s Ferry to
Houserock Valley and the Kaibab.
[Illustration: “Buffalo Bill” and cowboys at Kaibab, left to right.
Ed Lamb, Nate Adams, George Adams, Orza Adams, Wm. F. Cody (Buffalo
Bill), Walter Hamblin, Eb Brown. They helped him replenish his
depleted stock. _Courtesy Walter Hamblin._]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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