If you know anything about the early history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called Mormons), you've heard of Porter Rockwell. He was a body guard for Joseph Smith Jr. and later for Brigham Young. He has a fascinating life story, which I encourage anyone who likes stories of the old west, and/or LDS church history, to read! If I tell any of his story not connected to the station, I'll go on for pages. Fascinating man!
Shortly after the Salt Lake Valley was settled by the Mormon Pioneers, Orrin Porter Rockwell was appointed deputy marshal. At what we locals call "the point of the mountain" where the Salt Lake Valley ends and Utah Valley begins, Rockwell operated the Hot Springs Hotel and Brewery. He was married to Mary Ann Neff (yes, my mother-in-law's family have ties to Porter Rockwell!! Check out the second source in the bibliography, guys!) and was hoping to make a profit on the military dollars now in the valley and the increase of travelers going west.
A group of trees was the only way I knew how to find it, having seen pictures from others who had visited the site. The little dirt path off Pony Express Road in Bluffdale is very unassuming. No sign, no arrows to go by. Just a little marker fading in the shadow of trees, being forgotten by history.
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| Erected 1934. The monument is made of stones of the old hotel and brewery. |
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| Close up so you can read the text :) |
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| It was raining. |
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| It's hidden in trees, three sides have barbed wire and one dirt road brings you to this little site |
Bibliography:
Cummins, Lawrence (May 2004), "Orrin Porter Rockwell", The Friend
"Mary Ann Neff Rockwell Biography" at the Wayback Machine
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