Founders of Utah

On Temple Square at Salt Lake City, Utah is the Brigham Young Monument that reads “The names of the pioneers who arrived in this valley, 24 July 1847. ... The entire company and outfit consisted of 143 men, 3 women, 2 children 70 wagons, 1 boat 1 cannon, 93 horses, 52 mules, 66 oxen, 19 cows.” These were the original pioneer founders of Utah. The first of the 148 names is "Brigham YOUNG." In the next to the last column of the monument’s names is “Lewis BARNEY,” son of my husband’s Utah pioneer ancestor, "Charles BARNEY," who arrived at the Salt Lake Valley in 1852, along with most of the remainder of his BARNEY children. Other names included on the monument are three “colored servants” - “Green FLAKE, Hark LAY, and Oscar CROSBY.” The monument was unveiled on 24 July 1897.

These photographs were made at Temple Square in August of 2008.

What's a Train?

Daddy, what's a train? Is it something I can ride?

Does it carry lots of grown-up folks and little kids inside?

Is it bigger than our house? Well how can I explain

When my little boy and girl ask me "Daddy what's a train?"

When I was just a boy and living by the track,

Us kids would gather up the coal in big 'ole gunnysacks,

Then we heard the warning sound as the train pulled into view,

The engineer would smile and wave as she went rolling through.

She blew so loud and clear, we had to cover up our ears,

And we counted cars just as high as we could go.

I can almost hear the steam those big old drivers scream,

A sound my little kids will never know.

("Daddy What's a Train" by Utah Phillips)

The Golden Spike Ceremony, a photo by Edna Barney on Flickr.