Enterprise Pioneer Park

Enterprise exists because one man would not drop an idea. Orson Huntsman lived in Hebron, a ranching town short of water, and became convinced the fix was to dam Shoal Creek upstream and carry a reservoir's water to fields on the desert below. The catch: it meant abandoning Hebron. His neighbors hated it — even his father-in-law, the bishop, fought it. But Huntsman filed his claim in 1891, laid out the town, and spent sixteen years building the dam. After the 1902 earthquake, Hebron's people finally followed him. The reservoir made the desert green, and it still does.

What the plaque says

Orson W. Huntsman founder of Enterprise; born 31 March 1849, died 16 Nov. 1931, married Mary Ann Terry 29 Dec. 1867 Thanks to his vision and unending determination; the dream of a reservoir and city, now called Enterprise, became a reality: The following dates and accounts are from his personal journal 6 May 1892 First shared his idea out loud about reservoir to Perry Winsor and George M. Burgess, "I commenced preaching up the Hebron reservoir public and private whenever I got a chance." 19 June 1892 "...I stood in the wash on the sand and dedicated the ground for the great dam and the reservoir site to the Lord and prayed for His assistance in accomplishing this great work..." 25 July 1892 {Survey the town}.. "Isaac {Macfarlane} and I found the southeast corner, section 11.." 29 July 1892 ".. surveying of the town mostly done..three hundred and twenty acres of land surveyed in which we laid off fifteen blocks, with four lots in each block, making sixty lots.." 12 June 1893 "..much disheartened and discouraged insomuch so that give up my reservoir scheme to never undertake it anymore.." 3 August 1893 "..I still have the Hebron Reservoir on my back to carry. I have thrown it off time and time again but before I know it, it is on me again and I am determined to make it go, but it is very heavy to carry." 3 Sept. 1893 "I preach reservoir wherever I go.." 12 Sept. 1893 meeting to choose name for reservoir company. "..It was finally decided to call it after the new town which is located, or surveyed, at the mouth of Shole (Shoal) Creek, which name I gave on the account of the great enterprise that was about to be under taken by such a very few poor people, to build a dam like it in a dry wash to store water to water hundreds of acres of land on a dry desert twelve miles away." 20 Sept. 1893 "Articles of incorporation approved for the 'Enterprise Reservoir and Canal Co.' 11 Oct. 1893 Thomas Judd, Isaac C. Macfarlane, Orson W. Huntsman file papers in St. George at courthouse for Canal Co. 23 Oct. 1893 "They commence scraping the sand away for the foundation of the dam." 26 Oct. 1893 "The day that the first rock was laid for the foundation of the mason work." 20 July 1895 "..about 20 of us met at the newly laid out town site to select our lots." Jan. 1896 ".. We hope the year 1896 will bring something good to us. Let us all stick and hang, we will win by and by." Sat. Oct. 30 1909 {16 yrs. from beginning of reservoir}"...one and all, gathered on and around the reservoir dam to see the last, the cap stone, put on the dam, laid on the top of an 84 foot wall which is 20 feet thick at the bottom and 8 feet at the top. This cap stone is a large flat rock about 10 inches thick... Brother Ivins {Apostle A. W. Ivins} presided over this meeting, and he and Brother Smith {Apostle Hyrum M. Smith}, Bishop G.A. Holt, Chris Ammon {the mason}, and myself were the speakers... This good time will long be remembered, and we are so glad the dam is as near finished as it is. The dam and the reservoir were dedicated at this meeting by Hyrum M. Smith." 16 Nov. 1909 "..Just a few days more to finish." 22 Nov. 1909 "Emery, Lamond and I go to the reservoir in a snow storm to bring our camp outfit home as work is done." They did so much with so little. What will we do with so much? August 17, 1996

Where it stands

More markers nearby

• Hebron Cemetery — 6.0 mi
• Short Cut/Jefferson Hunt (2) markers — 6.5 mi
• Hamblin Cemetery — 6.5 mi
• Mountain Meadows Trail & Camp — 7.7 mi