June 20, 2012 - This is the Place

The location of the This is the Place Park is where, on July 24, 1847, Brigham Young first saw the Salt Lake Valley that would soon become the Mormon pioneers' new home. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that Young had a vision shortly after they were exiled from Nauvoo, Illinois. In the vision, he saw the place where the Latter-day Saints would settle and "make the desert blossom like a rose" and where they would build their State of Deseret.

As the account goes, Brigham Young was very sick with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and was riding in the back of a wagon. After exiting Emigration Canyon and cresting a small hill, he asked to look out of the wagon. Those with him opened the canvas cover and propped him up so he could see the empty desert valley below. He then proclaimed, "It is enough. This is the right place. Drive on." The words, "this is the place," were soon heard throughout the wagon train as the Mormon pioneers descended into the valley, their long journey having come to an end. Over the next several years, tens of thousands of Mormon pioneers emerged from Emigration Canyon and first saw their new home from this same location.

Nancy, Loni, Alli, Madison, Taya and Carson took over This is the Place Park on June 20, 2012.  They had a marvelous time!

Taya says good morning, nose to nose with the reindeer

 How come I forever gotta sit in this dumb stroller? 

 Alli and Madison like the reindeer, too

 Riding ponies

 Carson is always so pleasant!

 Baby chicks!

 Real cowboys!

 A train ride

 Native American dancers

(Only Madison was brave enough to stand by them.)

 A traveling doctor with potions to cure everything!

 Produce that we could buy - hey! Wait a minute!

 Panning for gold

 Or just playing in the water and mud

 Alli found a real gold nugget in the stream,

which she took to the bank and traded for a lollipop.

Pretty good deal!

For more pictures of This is the Place, click here:

2012.06.20: Maynerich grandkids at This Is The Place