Town of Joseph & Pioneer Log Cabin

It took three tries to make this town stick. Settlers from Sanpete began a farm they called Jericho in 1864, drawn by the Sevier River's water, but abandoned it in 1865 as the Black Hawk War closed in — the Utes fighting to hold the land settlement was taking. A second group came in 1871 and left again next June for the same reason. When families returned for good in September 1872, Brigham Young's son Joseph A. Young laid out the townsite and, with a founder's privilege, named it Joseph City after himself. It has been Joseph ever since.

What the plaque says

Jericho settlement was begun in 1864. That spring, Charles Green, John Pine, Daniel Brown, and a Mr. Hill arrived from Sanpete. The valley had fertile soil and water from the Sevier River, but the site was abandoned in 1865 because of Indian trouble. Ephraim Van Wagner, Widow Jacobina Rhoads, William Powell, Amos Davis, and a Mr. Anderson came in the winter of 1871. Again, because of Indians, the families left in June of 1872 to go to larger settlements. Several families returned on September 10, 1872, accompanied by Stake President Joseph A. Young, son of Brigham Young. He laid out the townsite for the present town of Joseph from the survey of Iver Isaacson and named it "Joseph City" in honor of himself. The first leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Joseph were James Hale, George Wilson, and Iver Isaacson. Mrs. Alonzo Farnsworth (Mary) was the first school teacher. Her pupils ranged in age from four to twelve years. A two-room, brick schoolhouse was started in 1894 and served until 1904 when a two-story, four-room addition was built. This was used until 1955. The bricks from that school were used to construct this monument. The pioneer log cabin was located on the original 160 acres homesteaded by David A. Giles on March 13, 1881. The site was across the Sevier River, east of the present town of Joseph. The cabin was donated to Camp Clear Creek Daughters of Utah Pioneers by Mrs. Reta Owens Meacham in the fall of 1992 and was relocated in 1994.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Big Rock Candy Mountain — 5.1 mi
  The real mountain that inspired the famous hobo folk song
• Fremont Indian State Park — 7.0 mi
  The largest known Fremont Indian village ever discovered
• Cove Fort — 20 mi
  A beautifully restored 1867 pioneer fort at the crossroads of two interstates
• Beaver — 33 mi
  A charming main street town with surprisingly good food

More markers nearby

• Fort Alma — 5.0 mi
• Monroe Pioneers/Old Fort — 5.1 mi
• Camp Alma Relic Hall — 5.1 mi
• Elsinore Pioneers — 5.5 mi