Mountain Meadows Now: A Monumental Tribute

There have been several monuments erected to pay homage to those who died in the Mountain Meadows Massacre in 1857.  The first monument was erected in 1859, a short two years after the tragedy occurred.  This monument was emplaced over the grave site after the bodies were buried.  The party constructing the monument, led by Brevet Major Carleton, reportedly had to scour the surrounding area to find the bones of a reported thirty four people that had been hidden in bushes, etc. by the neighboring Mormons.  After the remains were located and buried the party erected a stone mound (or cairn) approximately fifty feet in diameter at the base, and about twelve feet tall.  On top, a cedar cross was emplaced that stood an additional twelve feet in height, making the monument twenty four feet total.  Carved into the cross are the words, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”  At the base of the mound the party emplaced a granite slab with the engraving: “Here 120 Men, Women, And Children Were Massacred In Cold Blood, Early In September, 1857. They Were From Arkansas."

In 1932 the Utah Trails and Landmarks Association dedicated another memorial.  This one a consisted of a stone wall surrounding the original cairn burial site, and was capped with a bronze plaque.  The plaque essentially stated that the massacre occurred in this spot and was committed by John D. Lee and his followers, as well as some Native Americans.  It incorrectly identified, however, the wagon train as being from Arkansas and Missouri (they were from Arkansas) and the leader of the train as “Charles Fancher” (should be Alexander Fancher).

A third monument was erected in 1990 on Dan Sill Hill, overlooking the site of this tragedy.  The monument is a paved wall built into the side of the hilltop and contains a plaque bearing the inscription, “In Memoriam: In the valley below Between September 7 and 11, 1857 A Company of More Than 120 Arkansas Emigrants Led By Capt. John T. Baker And Capt. Alexander Fancher Was Attacked While En Route to California.  This Event Is Known In History As The Mountain Meadows Massacre.  The wall itself lists the names of those who died, as well as those children who survived.

In 1999 another monument was erected to replace the one from 1932.  It consisted of a stone wall surrounding the original cairn site and is cemented together to provide a lasting emplacement.  The original cairn was damaged due to vandals, farmers, and reportedly even Brigham Young ordered it to be destroyed.  The remains were recovered and emplaced behind the 1990 monument wall at a small private ceremony.  The cairn was repaired and an American flag was placed next to it.

The most recent monument was erected in 2011 and is known as the “Men and Boys Monument.”  It consists of a stone cube surrounded by benches in one of the fields at Mountain Meadows.  The stone is inscribed with the following text: “In memory of the emigrant men and boys from Arkansas massacred here in Mountain Meadows on September 11, 1857. Their lives were taken prematurely and wrongly by Mormon militiamen in one of the most tragic episodes in western American history.  May we forever remember and honor those buried in this valley. May we never forget this tragedy but learn from the past.”

SOURCE: Mountain Meadows Association: http://www.mtn-meadows-assoc.com/