Bluff Fort

So we finally visited Bluff Fort yesterday. We have lived here for 2 years, and this place is only 45 minutes from where we live. Bluff is where the Hole in the Rock pioneers first settled. If you don't know about the Hole in the Rock pioneers you should read Undaunted. I know it is huge, but it is an amazing story. They built a wagon road through some very uncharted and unyielding country. Now that I live here I can say that even more. There are huge canyons and Mesa's everywhere. Most of which they had go up and over. It took all winter for them to get through. Winter is not a great time to travel.
One of the people in the company was Jens Nielson, Devon's ancestor. He was crippled when he got frostbite in the handcart company of 1856. He and his wife lost their only child on the trek. He volunteered to go on this mission. He has some "Sticky-toody." That apparently was a phrase he used a lot. I think the fact that this road does not stand today attests to the trial of building it, and the fact that is is very hard country to cross. I have gained a real testimony of the sacrifice of these people and of their faith in a call from the church leaders- and from the Lord.
So, on to the pictures.
Spencer pulled James about 10 feet in this handcart. I don't know how pioneers took their children!

This is a cool picture of the relief society meeting room and some handcarts (which were not used in this trek).

They had a TP (original home of the Utes) and a Hogan (original home of the Navajo) at the fort because one of the purposes of the mission was to act as a buffer (how would you like to be a buffer) between the Native Americans and bandits and the Saints in the Southern Utah. The members tried to build up relationships with the Natives in the area.


This was a pretty amazing woman. She was called to be a nurse/ midwife here with no prior experience. She read a lot and learned from the Native Americans and worked by the spirit to help many people.

This is the log meeting house.

Here is a video of inside Jens Nielson's cabin. The cabins were all one small room. It makes our house look like a mansion.

This plaque explains that the first settlement with the exploring party was in Montezuma Creek about 13 miles from Bluff. Crops never succeeded there and the settlement was eventually abandoned. (I wish our garden looked that good.)

This is the memorial to the Hole in the rock pioneers.

I swear Spencer climbed into every wagon there. James was not so sure about the height.

This is Jen's Nielson's home built after the fort was no longer needed. Someone lives there still today.

We also went up to the cemetery.

It was a very small and simple cemetery. This is Jens Nielson's grave.

This is the family plot.

This is his second wife Kirsten's grave, that is the wife Devon came from. She was the only wife to make the trek with him (I believe the other two wives came later).

Devon took this picture because it is rare to see someone who served in the Spanish American war.

After wards we ate at the Twin Rocks Cafe- which really is the best food until maybe Moab.

I am so glad we could go- especially after I just read that book. These pioneers were amazing!