We weren't in a hurry so we actually stopped to pose by the Welcome to Utah sign. The boys arranged the girls and themselves very well spatially.
Joseph found a rock to climb! No surprise there.
Everyone joined him on the rock.
Isn't this cute? You may see it again on a Christmas card. Everyone is looking at the camera.
Another excellent shot of the kids. In case you are wondering, this is close to the middle of nowhere:)
Caroline poses on the rock.
Joseph in the blacksmith shop.
We went to Utah to see the Historic Bluff Fort, settled by the Hole in the Rock Pioneers. They are an amazing group of people who traveled through very harsh land (Lake Powell covers a lot of it now) and cut through rock to arrive in Bluff. The fort is phenomenal and a great place to visit and learn about San Juan County's pioneer heritage. One of the leaders of the group was Jens Nielsen, who with his family were also members of the Willie Handcart Company. What remarkable people!
Alex practices driving a horseless wagon while Caroline rides.
The kids got a big kick out of playing school in the "school cabin."
The fort had replica cabins of real families who lived there at the time. Their descendants get together to raise the money, gather artifacts and actually build the cabins. A woman in our congregation was actually able to help build the Decker family cabin. Each cabin is different and tells the story of the family who lived at the fort many years ago. The fort also had a brand new "co-op" store/visitor's center that is full of fun frontier items that are very reasonably priced. It has a movie about the Hole in the Rock pioneers and very nice employees/guides. We will enjoy going back another time.
Matt and Joseph pose in a cabin. Aren't my boys handsome?
They also have handcarts the kids could play with. The Hole in the Rock pioneers didn't use handcarts, but the Jens Nielsen family was with the Willie Handcart Company and the handcarts were a hit with the kids.
Too bad none of the kids in the Handcart Companies actually got to ride like these four!
Joseph was proud that he could pull all four kids.
They also have a teepee and a hogan that honor the Native Americans who lived and still live in the area. Courtney and Grace enjoyed the bear rug.
This was one of the original wagons that came over the Hole in the Rock trail.
Our trip was great! We enjoyed eating at the Twin Rocks Café after the fort. It is really the only place to eat in Bluff. Bluff enjoyed its greatest population soon after the Hole in the Rock pioneers arrived. It is not very big at all now.
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