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Locating the Mountain Meadows Massacre

This interesting map of Utah illustrates key locations significant to the early Mormon settlers in the Utah Territory during the mid-19th century.  Of particular note is the location of the  Mountain Meadows Massacre,  west of Cedar City, one of the only maps to show tragic chapter of Utah history.

The map highlights the locations of early Mormon settlements, most notably Salt Lake City, which became the center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) under Brigham Young’s leadership after the Mormons' exodus from Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1846. South of Salt Lake City, Cedar City is another important Mormon-founded town shown on the map. Established in 1851, Cedar City was initially settled as part of the iron mission, with settlers sent by Brigham Young to develop an ironworks industry. The surrounding area, including Hambleton, Kanarra, Harmony and New, also reflects early Mormon expansion in southern Utah.

To the southwest, the map marks the location of the tragic "Scene of the Mountain Meadow Massacre." This event took place in September 1857 when a group of Mormon militia and Paiute Native Americans attacked a wagon train of emigrants from Arkansas. Over 100 men, women, and children were killed in the massacre, which remains a dark chapter in Utah's history. The massacre was partly fueled by the rising tensions between the U.S. government and the Mormon settlers, which culminated in the Utah War.

Captain John W. Gunnison and several members of his surveying team were killed by a group of Ute Indians in the Sevier Valley, an event that remains a subject of historical debate. The Gunnison route, shown on the map, symbolizes the ongoing friction between federal expeditions and the Mormon settlers in Utah.

Roads like Hastings’ Road, which guided early settlers toward California, and Beckwith’s Route, which connected various emigrant trails, indicate the significance of Utah as a crossroads for westward migration. These trails reflect both the Mormon migration and the broader American expansion into the western territories. Beckwith’s Route in particular was part of the early reconnaissance for the transcontinental railroad, demonstrating the strategic importance of this region.

The towns and routes illustrated on this map reveal the complex interactions between the Mormon settlers, the U.S. government, and Native American tribes in the mid-19th century. This map provides not only a geographical representation but also a glimpse into the religious, economic, and political dynamics shaping the early Utah Territory. 

Mountain Meadows Massacre -- September 1857

The Mountain Meadows Massacre, which took place between September 7 and 11, 1857, in southern Utah, was one of the darkest chapters in the history of the American West. The massacre occurred during the height of tensions between the Mormon settlers in the Utah Territory and the United States federal government, largely related to the Utah War. At least 120 members of the Baker-Fancher emigrant party, composed mainly of families from Arkansas, were killed by a group of Mormon militia from the Utah Territorial Militia, also known as the Nauvoo Legion, aided by Paiute Native Americans. The event took place at Mountain Meadows, a well-known stop on the Old Spanish Trail.

The Baker-Fancher party, led by "Colonel" Alexander Fancher, had assembled in Arkansas in early 1857. The group departed from northwest Arkansas, traveling westward with the intent of settling in California. After passing through Salt Lake City and being refused the ability to resupply due to ongoing tensions, the party continued south along the Mormon Road, arriving at Mountain Meadows, a meadow situated in present-day Washington County, Utah.

The massacre was orchestrated by key local leaders of the Mormon community, notably Isaac C. Haight, the Stake President of Cedar City, and John D. Lee, a local militia leader and Indian Agent. Haight and Lee, along with other regional leaders such as William H. Dame, commander of the Iron County militia, devised a plan to attack the emigrant party under the pretense of Native American hostility.

On September 7, 1857, the Nauvoo Legion, with some Paiute assistance, launched a surprise attack on the Baker-Fancher party. However, the emigrants, well-armed, managed to defend themselves for several days, encircling their wagons in a defensive position. As the siege wore on, the attackers realized that some of the emigrants might have recognized that their attackers were not Native Americans but white Mormon settlers. This concern, combined with dwindling supplies and fear of exposure, prompted a decision to eliminate all adult members of the party. On September 11, under a flag of truce, John D. Lee approached the wagon train, offering safe passage in exchange for the emigrants' surrender. The emigrants, desperate and exhausted, agreed.

The massacre took place shortly thereafter. Once the Baker-Fancher party was disarmed and divided into groups—men separated from women and children—the militia and their Native American allies attacked. The men were shot at close range by their militia escorts, while women and children were set upon by other militia members hiding nearby. In the end, all but 17 young children, deemed too young to bear witness to the massacre, were killed. These surviving children were adopted by local Mormon families, but later, in 1859, they were reclaimed by federal authorities and returned to their relatives in Arkansas.

The aftermath of the massacre saw attempts by local Mormon leaders to cover up their involvement, placing the blame on the Paiute Native Americans. The massacre shocked the nation and led to several federal investigations. U.S. Army Major James Henry Carleton conducted the first investigation in 1859, finding that the massacre could not have been carried out solely by the Paiutes. Carleton's report described the horrifying scene, where bones and hair of the victims were still scattered across the meadows. Another investigator, Jacob Forney, retrieved many of the surviving children from Mormon homes and confirmed that the massacre was orchestrated by Mormon settlers.

Legal proceedings were delayed for years, partly due to the Utah War and the American Civil War. However, in 1874, John D. Lee was arrested and eventually became the only person held criminally responsible for the massacre. After two trials, he was convicted and sentenced to death. On March 23, 1877, Lee was executed by firing squad at the site of the massacre, in a final effort by the federal government to address this horrific event.

Other key figures involved in the massacre, including Isaac C. Haight and William H. Dame, evaded capture and were never brought to trial. The massacre left a lasting scar on the relationship between the Mormon settlers and the federal government, and it would take many years for the LDS Church to officially acknowledge the involvement of its members in the event.

Places such as Cedar City, Parowan, and the Mountain Meadows site itself are forever associated with the massacre, as they were the centers of militia activity. The massacre also had lasting implications for the region's history, with the site of the massacre eventually being commemorated with monuments and memorials honoring the victims.