By CHERYL JENSEN
The Progress
It was all about the pioneer heritage of the communities at a Virgin Valley History and Discovery Day held at Heritage Park in Mesquite on Saturday, March 25. The community event offered many activities for families to enjoy, learn about local history and experience pioneer crafts, activities and foods.
“There is a sense of community and belonging in this valley,” said Jared Hollingshead President of the Mesquite West Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during a brief welcome address to those present. “We can learn from the past and, with that legacy, we can be one heart and one mind.”
While displaying the ‘H5’ branding iron used by his father and grandfather on their local dairy farm, Hollingshead spoke about the legacy they had left him. Exhibiting the branding iron he talked about the popular expression: “We ride for the brand!” Hollingshead compared this phase to those in attendance and asked, “Are you all in? Can you ride for the Virgin Valley brand?”
Throughout the event a local band entertained the crowd with country music. The group included Monte Morganson guitar, his wife Teresa as vocalist and fiddler, Gary Butler banjo and his wife, Julie on bass.
There were various tasting opportunities for attendees. These included breads, homemade root beer, fresh-squeezed lemonade, and other drinks. A long line formed to get fresh, hot buttered scones with jam or peanut butter.
Rosa Zarate and her daughter Isela were kept busy making fresh tortillas on a griddle. She demonstrated how to make the dough from torti mas and, using her metal press, made perfectly round tortillas. A long queue waited to taste these tortillas topped with cheese, salsa and sour cream.
Pomegranate juice and homemade pomegranate jelly on fresh baked white or whole wheat bread was also popular spot. If your taste buds needed spicy there was pomegranate jalapeno jelly with cream cheese on crackers.
Horseback rides were popular with the kids and teenagers. Kraig Hafen and family brought their horses and lead them around the grassy field to provide a new experience for youngsters.
A petting zoo included goats, miniature pigs, baby chicks, bunnies, chickens, pigs, turkeys and more. It was an exciting place for the kids who got to interact with the animals.
Kids also got to try a variety of pioneer games and activities. They tried their hands at pulling pioneer handcarts and pushing a hoop with a stick.
Dressed in his western cowboy boots with spurs and his black hat, Clancy Cox heated his branding irons and burned kids’ initials into pieces of wood as a little souvenir.
Many kids and grown-ups tried their skill at roping a “steer.” including Keith Reber who lassoed the “steer” and said “I didn’t think I could do that anymore after all these years not being on the farm!”
The cow milking area was popular and the small children got a miniature cow while Kyle Reber related the history of the co-op dairy barn and the seven dairies in the valley that supplied milk to Las Vegas and in the winter to the Salt Lake area.
The history of the Virgin Valley culinary water system was presented by Aaron Bunker, hydrologist at the water company, with a powerpoint and pictures of the various springs on Bunkerville mountain.
He talked about the current nine water wells the water district has now and will soon have eleven.
Many unusual quilts from various patterns were on display. Nova Mastrogiovanni told about her grandmother’s quilt made of small hexagons.
“When we slept over at her house we always wrapped up in that quilt,” she said. “She would tell us stories about each of the pieces and whose shirt or dress that fabric was from.”
The background of the historic Relief Society house in Mesquite was displayed. Geraldine Zarate, dressed in pioneer outfit, told of the restoration project on the old building that is underway. The next work day will be Saturday, April 15 and she invited anyone interested to come and help.
Scrumptuous Dutch oven and country food was served at lunch time to a large crowd. Pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw, corn on the cob and Dutch oven potatoes with cheese were served along with Dutch oven cobbler and ice cream for dessert. Many families enjoyed sitting on the lawn for a picnic in the sunny warm afternoon.
Derek Hafen recited cowboy poetry and had everyone laughing.
Mesquite East Stake President David Anderson expressed gratitude to all those that spent time sharing and teaching about the history of the Virgin Valley at the event.
“The bell that is here in the park used to hang in the belfry of the old church that was on the boulevard,” Anderson said. “The serial number shows that it was cast during WWII and made from steel as brass was too valuable. It used to ring every year on Christmas morning.”
“There is a lot of love and kindness shown by the people in this valley,” Anderson added. “Continue to care for one another.”
