Sons of Utah Pioneers honor American Fork settler
A monument marking the pioneer Arza Adams's early flour mill in American Fork on Saturday, July 28, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
Garth Norman, current chapter president of the Sons of Utah Pioneers, speaks at the dedication of a monument marking the pioneer Arza Adams's early flour mill in American Fork on Saturday, July 28, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
Performers reenact scenes at the dedication of a monument marking the pioneer Arza Adams's early flour mill in American Fork on Saturday, July 28, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
Chelsea Nerdin, Megan Nerdin, and Kalani Steele, front right, prepare to perform a reenactment at the dedication of a monument marking the pioneer Arza Adams's early flour mill in American Fork on Saturday, July 28, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
Allen Reinhold removes a cover from a monument marking the pioneer Arza Adams's early flour mill in American Fork on Saturday, July 28, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
Descendents of pioneer Arza Adams stand during the dedication of a monument commemorating his early flour mill in American Fork on Saturday, July 28, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
Dick Christiansen, National President of the Sons of Utah Pioneers, speaks at the dedication of a monument marking the pioneer Arza Adams's early flour mill in American Fork on Saturday, July 28, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
People watch reenactors perform at the dedication of a monument marking the pioneer Arza Adams's early flour mill in American Fork on Saturday, July 28, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
L. LaMar Adams, past chapter president of the Sons of Utah Pioneers, speaks at the dedication of a monument marking the pioneer Arza Adams's early flour mill in American Fork on Saturday, July 28, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
AMERICAN FORK — Rocks have played an important part in the formation of American Fork and many other early Utah communities. From those who battle rocks in their garden to those who survived Rocky Ridge to those who commemorate “the rock our fathers planted,” the heritage lives on.
The Sons of Utah Pioneers are now marking the past with more rocks, this time a monument built of cobblestones from the river, with a grindstone on top, a plaque made of granite and a set of stones used for grinding grain by hand. It has taken about a year and a half from concept to monument.
This monument, which sits on 200 North, is near the site of the gristmill built by Arza Adams, said to be the community’s first permanent settler. It is in front of the home of Carl and Gene Ingersoll; Carl Ingersoll is one of Adams’s great-grandsons.
“I bought the property in 1980,” he said. “I was very happy because this is my grandfather’s place, my great-grandfather’s place. My grandmother was in the Adams Camp of the DUP. She would be so happy that we built a monument here.”
Garth Norman, an archeologist who is in the SUP, said the actual mill site was about 450 feet south of where the monument stands.
“It was originally located around 300 South and Center,” Norman said. “Soon after Brigham Young directed them to build the fort, he moved his mill to 100 feet or so north of the fort wall. The fort was built so the creek would run right through the middle of it.”
“There are a couple of early maps of that fort that show Arza’s mill just outside of that fort wall,” he said. “In our research to try and locate the mill site we were puzzled as to why the mill was sitting on top of the creek. We realized that is how they built the mills.” He explained there were two types of waterwheels and this mill used the type that actually sits down in the water. At some later point, the mill changed to an upright waterwheel.
“Just beyond that mill, the river curves,” Norman said. “The creek was narrowed down and the banks reinforced. We can still see remnants of the original bank.”
To the west of the Ingersoll home on 200 North, the property is at a lower level, Norman explained.
“We believe that this depressed area was dredged to build a large pond to build up the water to guarantee the water flow,” he said.
On the monument, there is an ancient metate and mano, which were used to grind grains by hand. The reason they were included is to honor the two cultures — Native American and Mormon pioneer — which inhabited the area.
“The history of grinding seeds with stones is very ancient,” the plaque on the monument says. “The Native Americans here in Utah Valley, known as Timpanogos Utes, used grinding stones like the ones shown below on this monument. These stones came from the Doyle Smith farm near Utah Lake. The basin stone is called a metate, and the hand-held stone is called a mano. The Native Americans shared their locally adapted seeds, such as beans, corn, squash, etc., with pioneer settlers. This exchange helped build peaceful relations.”
Another stone, the polished granite plaque, tells about the round stone on the top of the monument.
“The mill stone atop this monument was used in Arza’s first mill located at 3rd South Center St.,” it says. “In 1853, Brigham Young directed pioneer settlers to build forts to avoid conflict with Native Americans. Arza relocated his flour mill upstream just north of the Lake City Fort (American Fork), located about 450 feet south of this monument.”
Ingersoll told why the Sons of Utah Pioneers decided to build the monument, which is the 171st in the area.
“One of the goals of the SUP is to preserve an appreciation and history of the pioneer heritage for young people and the general populace,” he said.
Dan Adams, also one of Arza Adams’s great-grandsons, agreed.
“I think it is a significant step to have another historical monument in town,” he said. “I think it is very important for several reasons, such as when we are educating people at the museum, we have a lot of calls from people trying to research their ancestors. There are thousands related to Arza Adams. He is a significant member of the community, as a co-founder.”
Adams explained that Matthew Caldwell is credited with building the first house in what has become American Fork, but he moved away after two years. Arza Adams had the second house to be completed, but his family remained.
Dan Adams told about the importance of a flour mill to a community.
“They produced one of the unique products that the pioneers could not make for themselves in any quantity,” he said. “They could make a real coarse whole wheat flour, but not very much. Generally they had to get where a flour mill was in production.”
The monument is almost next to the sidewalk on the north side of 200 North.
“It is a neat thing to have it where it is accessible to people,” Dan Adams said. “I was delighted when the SUP invited me to help as a resource. Both Carl and I are connected to Arza in the same way. We are excited to have that as part of this monument here in town.
“It has been a fun project — a lot of work — but I think it turned out really well,” he said.
Ingersoll agreed. “It turned out absolutely wonderful,” he said. “It turned out great. I love the plaque. It is really nice.”
Local News
Back in bloom: BYU researchers revamp wildflower project in Rock Canyon to reduce wildfire risk
Free community clinic coming to UVU campus will provide health and wellness care for the uninsured
