Utah History - Quilt Walk of 1864 - Panguitch

Panguitch, Utah was initially established in 1863 under the name of Fairview, and is approximately 20 miles west of what is now Bryce Canyon National Park. The valley where the pioneers settled sits at an elevation of 6,600 feet, and this elevation makes for a short growing season.
As significant snow storms came too early in the second winter of the new settlement, the wheat crops were unable to mature, and therefore difficult to grind into a useable flour. The people boiled the wheat but it was not palatable. Without some flour, the pioneers would starve. This is the story of how the men of the community were forced to use their quilts as a form of snowshoes to walk across the deep snows, and over a mountain to a community where they could obtain flour for their families.
The Quilt Walk of 1864

[@jtalbot34]

My third great grandfather William Talbot was one of the men who were on this journey and it's one of my favorite stories! I'm happy to see it on the screen it definitely brings it to life! Thank you!

[@redbrick161]

This was great...really brought history to life. Fun to see people I know in town playing the parts.

[@jtalbot34]

I do want to clarify that they had two yoke of oxen on their wagon not a team of horses.. They were gone for a long time to recuperate from their journey (the distance from the Panguitch settlement was about 44 miles) while in Parowan, horses would've perished while waiting but oxen are much stronger, more apt to colder weather and able to find food.. I have the names if the 7 men who were a part of this because there was a book written about my grandfather, they are William Talbot, Alex Matheson, Jesse Lowder, John Butler, Thomas Adair, Thomas Richards, and John Paul Smith. There is a poem about this event written by Roque L. Willard and used during the State Centennial Celebration in 1966. More trips were made to both Parowan and Gunnison to provide the necessary supplies to sustain the settlers through the winter.

[@amynielson4542]

Do you have/know where can find a copy of the poem? I've been looking for my grandfather. We are also decedents of William Talbot.

[@kathyryan3605]

Jennifer, we are distant cousins on the Talbot side.

[@alwaysconfused1000]

Fantastic history lesson!

[@lindasutton7589]

This is very interesting. I am wondering about the team of horses. While the men were gone 14 days the horses stood that long in deep snow without food or water??? How were the horses fed on the trip??Anyone have answers? Thanks.

[@UtahTraveler1]

Thanks for the comment. It is one of the very interesting stories of Utah history.

[@TravisHeinze]

You have to reply directly to the commenter for them to see it.

[@esolo114]

If only someone would've thought to create makeshift snowshoes out of pine boughs

[@TravisHeinze]

They showed the importance of needing a direct route between the cities, yet there still is no road connecting them directly.

[@stevenfisher4547]

So the horses just stood there waiting for their return ,for two weeks?