Bear River heritage area Idaho Utah — Julie Hollist Golden Cache Bear Lake Pioneer Spike Valley Country Trails Blessed by Water Worked by Hand The Bear River Heritage Area — Blessed by Water, Worked by Hand fur trade, sixteen rendezvous were held—four in The Bear River those established by more recent immigrants, like Welcome to the Bear what is now the Bear River Heritage Area, and the The head of the Bear River in the Uinta people from Japan, Mexico, Vietnam and more. other twelve within 65 to 200 miles. Cache Valley, Mountains is only about 90 miles from where it Look for cultural markers on the landscape, River Heritage Area! which straddles the Utah-Idaho border (and is ends at the Great Salt Lake to the west. However, like town welcome signs, historic barns and It sits in a dry part of North America, home to Logan, Utah, and Preston, Idaho, among the river makes a large, 500-mile loop through hay stacking machines, clusters of evergreen yet this watershed of the Bear River is others), was named for the mountain man practice three states, providing water, habitat for birds, fish, trees around old cemeteries and town squares of storing (caching) their pelts there. and other animals, irrigation for agriculture and that often contain a church building (like the greener than its surroundings, offering hydroelectric power for homes and businesses. tabernacles in Paris, Idaho; and Brigham City, a hospitable home to wildlife and people Nineteenth Century Immigration Logan, and Wellsville, Utah, and the old Oneida alike. Early Shoshone and Ute Indians, The Oregon Trail brought thousands Reading the Landscape Stake Academy in Preston, Idaho). See if you can absorb the spirit of the people nineteenth-century Mormons, modern of immigrants through this region, and The heritage of the Bear River Heritage the Mormon migration took place in the Area still shows today in its landscape, people, here. They place a high value on self-sufficiency entrepreneurs and outdoor enthusiasts 1840s-1870s, when believers in the new religion economy and culture. Agriculture is still a primary and independence, so you are likely to find people have all been attracted to this region. We fled persecution in Missouri, Illinois and occupation here. While we have a green spot in the who make for themselves what they can—they hope you’ll enjoy exploring the unique elsewhere to make a new home in a remote area arid west, we still worry about water, especially as like to quilt, for instance, and home gardens and they thought would be safe. Most nineteenth- populations grow. You may see clear water flowing home canning are popular. Finally, if you are people, places, arts, crafts, activities and century Mormon immigrants came from the down gutters and in ditches in many towns. This in the area when a local celebration is going on, institutions that make this our home. eastern United States, Great Britain, Scandinavia is the irrigation system established by Mormon come and join in the fun! Many of the community and other parts of Europe. This settlement has settlers, still in use today. A type of grain farming festivals are very old, such as Mendon, Utah’s Native Americans and Trappers had a profound effect on the landscape you see called “dry farming” is practiced on the hillsides, May Day celebration, where songs written by The Indians migrated back and forth through around you as you drive through the Heritage where no irrigation water can reach. pioneer ancestors are sung this region with the seasons, taking advantage of Area, from the layout of towns and farms to the Many businesses and institutions that were as little girls dance around the best weather and making use of plants and architecture of barns, fences and Mormonism’s established early in the region’s history and still the May poles. Many other This brochure is a sampling wildlife in their daily lives. The old Shoshone name most sacred buildings, the temples. The temple operate today: farm supply stores, Utah State celebrations are based on the of products and institutions for the Bear River is “Bia Ogoi,” or “Big Water.” in Logan, Utah, is one of the earliest built by the University in Logan, the raspberry farms around agricultural-natural resource that provide a window Then in the early 1800s, when the fur trade was Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Bear Lake, the orchards on the western slopes of economy—the local harvest, into our local history and brisk, trappers of European extraction entered the official name of the church known popularly by the Wasatch Mountains and the family farms and be it raspberries, milk, peaches, culture. There isn’t room area seeking beaver and other furs. They learned its nickname, the Mormon Church). ranches found throughout the region. Several of wheat or trout. for an exhaustive listing of every activity, restaurant, much from the Native Americans about survival On May 10, 1869, the transcontinental railroad the communities have small museums, some only Stay a while in the Bear River hotel, and resource that in the area’s sometimes harsh conditions, and they was completed at Promontory, Utah, just north of the Heritage Area and find out open by appointment. Watch for these, often housed make the Bear River why it is Blessed by Water, gathered annually at rendezvous (RON day voo) to Great Salt Lake. This helped ensure the continued in historic buildings such as log cabins or Mormon Heritage Area great. We’ll sell their furs, buy new supplies, share news and growth of the region as people and freight passed tithing houses. Visit some of the restaurants and Worked by Hand. let you discover more of meet old friends. Over the two decades of active through on regularly scheduled trains. other businesses operated by old timers and also those on your own. Happy exploring! Golden Spike Cache Valley Bear Lake Country Pioneer Trails pp. 4-15 pp. 16-51 pp. 52-65 pp. 66-73 History The Bear River region’s past is often visible in the daily lives of its residents. Historic buildings like barns, granaries, Mormon Idaho tithing offices (easily Utah identified because they Golden Spike are usually tiny, square Tremonton brick buildings used for storage of goods donated Brigham City as tithing), railroad Perry depots (both for the Great Willard Salt Lake Continental railroad and for the smaller Interurban system that operated in the early twentieth century), tabernacles, temples, schools and Box Elder County Tourism first transcontinental railroad was completed with the Golden Spike National Historic Site and Brewers Sparrow. Come courthouses are in almost 435.734.3315 ceremonial driving of the golden spike. The event took On May 10, 1869, the final spike was driven, prepared with plenty of every town. Many towns www.boxelder.org place at Promontory, Utah, about 32 miles west of the completing the transcontinental railroad and gas, food and water—this also have small museums, county seat of Brigham City, near the northern end of revolutionizing travel across North America. is a remote site. Gas and frequently operated by Visitors Center the Great Salt Lake. The county itself is named for the Visit Golden Spike National Historic Site and food services are located 20 the Daughters of Utah Brigham City Chamber of Commerce numerous Box Elder trees that grow here in this part witness historic reenactments and locomotive miles east of Golden Spike in Pioneers. The Oregon 6 N. Main of the Great Basin. demonstrations and participate in ranger Corinne and in downtown Trail and the Hudspeth Brigham City The first permanent white settlements were programs and films. You can take a self-guided Tremonton. Cutoff portion of it run Location: Golden Spike National through the Heritage Area. 435.723.3931 established in 1851 when Mormons moved north from auto tour over historic railroad grades. Within Historic Site, 32 miles west of There are also roadside the Salt Lake City area and settled in what are now an 8-mile radius, you can experience 100 years www.brighamchamber.com Brigham City, via Highways 13 markers for important Willard and Brigham City. Shoshone Indians already of transportation history by visiting the Golden and 83. events such as the Bear GPS: 41.62039° N 112.54665° W Northwest Band of Shoshone lived in the area and numerous violent incidents Spike National Historic Site and visiting the River Massacre, in which Hours: Mon-Sun 9 am-5 pm 707 N. Main occurred until a treaty was negotiated in 1863. rocket display at Thiokol (see separate listing), a group of California Open: Year-round, except holidays The economy is centered on agriculture (hay, where scientists helped put a man on the moon Volunteer soldiers under Brigham City Information: 435.471.2209, ext. 29; 435.734.2286 grain, fruit and livestock) and aerospace technologies, exactly 100 years later in 1969! The Golden Spike www.nps.gov/gosp the command of Colonel www.nwbshoshone-nsn.gov specifically ATK Launch Systems (formerly Thiokol), National Historic Site is also a great place to Patrick Connor annihilated which was established in 1957 and has been a major watch birds. Birders have reported seeing Sharp- nearly 400 Northwestern The Golden Spike region is named for the contributor of missiles, parts and other technology for tailed Grouse, Ferruginous Hawk, Sage Thrasher Shoshone men, women famous events of May 10, 1869, when the nation’s national defense and space exploration. and children in January 1863 (the marker is about 5 miles northwest of Preston, Idaho, on Highway 91). 4 Golden Spike www.bearriverheritage.com 1.800.882.4433 Golden Spike 5 #363) at Brigham City.