Westward Expansion

Westward Expansion. . , Until the late 18th Century, Zion's only visitors were the original inhabitants of the region. The earliest appearance of Europeans came in 1776 when the Dominguez-Escalante expedition after abandoning their quest for an overland route to California passed within 20 miles of Zion Canyon on their way back to their base in Santa Fe. The detailed maps they created began a new era of exploration., (Top marker photo caption) The Dominguez-Escalante expedition crossed the Virgin River near the present day town of La Verkin, just west of Zion, and proceeded east toward the Colorado River., (Lower marker captions, clockwise from top) In 1826, mountain man Jedediah Smith skirted Zion Canyon in search of beaver. He named the stream he crossed the Adams River (now the Virgin) in honor of President John Quincy Adams. Smith kept careful records of his travels, and his journals later inspired others to visit the region., Mormon pioneer Isaac Behunin is credited with building one of the first cabins in Zion Canyon in 1863, near the present site of the Lodge. Gazing in awe at his surroundings, the settler called the canyon “Little Zion,” his Old Testament reference to a “place of safety or refuge.” In time, Zion became the park’s official name. , Mormon settlement of the Zion region was rapid and enduring. The town of Springdale, established in 1862, just four years after Nephi Johnson’s visit, was one of several Mormon communities along the Virgin River. Farming was difficult in this hard environment, and the settlers’ endurance testifies to their tenacity. , Mormon scout and missionary Nephi Johnson explored the upper Virgin River in 1858, on orders from church leader Brigham Young. Young and his followers were searching for locations rich in natural resources where Mormons could settle and establish self sufficient communities. ,