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A Different 9/11 Memorial
Posted by Bigfoot on June 24th, 2009
On September 11, innocent Americans were murdered by violent members of a polygamy-encouraging religion, who had no reservations about attacking civilians. Today, a memorial to that senseless massacre sits in an open field, as we assure ourselves that the vast majority of that religion’s adherents want nothing to do with violence. But this memorial is nowhere near the Pentagon, or Shanksville, PA, or New York’s Manhattan Island, where the World Trade towers once stood. It is in Utah, just off state highway 18, about 30 miles north of St. George. It was built to honor the people who lost their lives in September,
of 1857, in what became known as the Mountain Meadows Massacre.
In 1857, a group of emigrants from Arkansas was passing through Utah Territory. Their intended destination was California. On September 7, after passing through Cedar City and camping in the area known as Mountain Meadows, they were attacked by Mormon assailants, aided by a number of local Paiute Indians. They circled their wagons and held out until:
On September 11, 1857, John D. Lee entered the wagon circle with a white flag, convincing the emigrants to surrender peacefully. Required to put down their guns, the women and children were escorted out first, then the men and boys. Each man and boy was escorted by an armed militiaman.
They walked about a mile when, upon a predetermined signal, the militiamen turned and fired on each man and boy. Indians who had been convinced to participate in the massacre came out from their hiding places to attack the women and children.
Seventeen children survived, and were eventually returned to Arkansas. The Mormon church has for a long time expressed regret over the massacre, and has long since abandoned polygamy and rejected violence.
A short drive off of highway 18 leads to a parking lot, from which a short walk leads to this viewing area.
From the viewing area, the approximate locaton of the Arkansans’ encampment may be seen, to the right of the flagpole and behind the trees in the foreground.
The memorial, here seen close up, is at the end of a mile-long unpaved road.
Some scenery near the memorial, looking in the general direction toward the location of the encampment. I didn’t know that southern Utah could be so green.
Something unrelated, but nearby. This is Snow Canyon, also just off state highway 18, about 20 miles south of Mountain Meadows.
June 26th, 2009 at 12:00 am
There was a movie made about that massacre called “September Dawn”, starring Jon Voight. Its out on DVD.
June 26th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
That film mentioned by Sillie Lizzie is worth seeing. Quite accurate, I think.