Near New Harmony in Washington County, Utah — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Snowfield Monument
"Franciscan Fathers"
Photographed by Bill Kirchner, August 29, 2012
1. Snowfield Monument Marker
Inscription.
Snowfield Monument. "Franciscan Fathers". October 13, 1776:"We set out southward from the small river and campsite of Nuestra Senora del Pilar ("Our Lady of the Pillar" Kolob Canyon of Zion Canyon National Park) " and "We traveled a league and a half to the south, descended to the little Rio del Pilar (Ash Creek) which here has a leafy cottonwood grove, crossed it, now leaving the valley of the Senor San Jose, and entered a stony cut in the form of a pass between two high sierras " "We continued without a guide, and having traveled with great difficulty over the many stones for a league to the south, we descended a second time to the Rio del Pilar and halted on its banks in a pretty cottonwood grove, naming the place San Daniel Today five leagues south." , Franciscan Fathers Atanasio Dominguez, Sylvestre Velez de Escalante and eight other members of a daring exploration party departed the Mision de Santa Fe, New Mexico, on July 29. 1776, in an attempt to establish contact with the Franciscan mission at Monterey, California. Following previous expeditions into the Spanish borderlands they were able to cross the Colorado River near Grand Junction, Colorado, and entered the unexplored regions of the Great Basin near Spanish Fork, Utah. They then proceeded southward along the Wasatch Mountains expecting a westward flowing river that would eventually take them to the Pacific Ocean. Disappointed and facing the reality of winter snows they "cast lots" at a point near Cedar City, Utah, on October 11, 1776, and elected to return to Santa Fe by a southern route. Their encampment here at "San Daniel" represents the first recorded entry of non-native people into Washing County, Utah. The Fathers arrived back at the Santa Fe Mission on January 2, 1777, having traveled over 1800 miles and recording one of the greatest explorations in American history. Their observations and maps were instrumental in the opening of the American Southwest to further exploration and commercial use of the National Historic Old Spanish Trail.
October 13, 1776:"We set out southward from the small river and campsite of Nuestra Senora del Pilar ("Our Lady of the Pillar" Kolob Canyon of Zion Canyon National Park) " and "We traveled a league and a half to the south, descended to the little Rio del Pilar (Ash Creek) which here has a leafy cottonwood grove, crossed it, now leaving the valley of the Senor San Jose, and entered a stony cut in the form of a pass between two high sierras " "We continued without a guide, and having traveled with great difficulty over the many stones for a league to the south, we descended a second time to the Rio del Pilar and halted on its banks in a pretty cottonwood grove, naming the place San Daniel Today five leagues south."
Franciscan Fathers Atanasio Dominguez, Sylvestre Velez de Escalante and eight other members of a daring exploration party departed the Mision de Santa Fe, New Mexico, on July 29. 1776, in an attempt to establish contact with the Franciscan mission at Monterey, California. Following previous expeditions into the Spanish borderlands they were able to cross the Colorado River near Grand Junction, Colorado, and entered the unexplored regions of the Great Basin near Spanish Fork, Utah. They then proceeded southward along the Wasatch Mountains expecting a westward flowing river that would eventually take
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them to the Pacific Ocean. Disappointed and facing the reality of winter snows they "cast lots" at a point near Cedar City, Utah, on October 11, 1776, and elected to return to Santa Fe by a southern route. Their encampment here at "San Daniel" represents the first recorded entry of non-native people into Washing County, Utah. The Fathers arrived back at the Santa Fe Mission on January 2, 1777, having traveled over 1800 miles and recording one of the greatest explorations in American history. Their observations and maps were instrumental in the opening of the American Southwest to further exploration and commercial use of the National Historic Old Spanish Trail.
Erected by Sons of Utah Pioneers and Washington County Historical Society. (Marker Number 159.)
Location. 37° 21.63′ N, 113° 15.708′ W. Marker is near New Harmony, Utah, in Washington County. It is on Interstate 15 at milepost 33, on the right when traveling north. Marker is 300 feet south of exit 33 on the east side frontage road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: New Harmony UT 84757, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Photographed by Bill Kirchner, August 29, 2012
2. Snowfield Monument Marker
In center of photograph.
Regionally, this marker and monument is in Utah’s Color Country. It is also in the American Southwest, in the Mountain West, and in Colorado Plateau. Globally, it is in North America, the Rocky Mountains, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also Mexicos Alta California.
Text of marker have been removed. This was originally installed by Bureau of Land Management.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 6, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 14, 2012, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. This page has been viewed 2,813 times since then and 144 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on September 14, 2012, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. 4. submitted on September 21, 2012, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
