I do not live in Utah. I keep my location and other personal things vague on here for privacy reasons. If someone wanted to find out who I am I’m sure they could. It’s really not a big state secret. But, just because I don’t live in Utah doesn’t mean I have no ties there. My sisters live there. Most of their kids live there too. Some of my kids live there courtesy of BYU. I don’t hate Utah. But there is a different culture there. I grew up in Arizona in a very LDS city. So I understand that culture some and I prefer to live in the “mission field”. It’s just a preference. One of my kids who live there asked me the other day where I would live when I retire. Other than where I am now, I probably would live in Southern Utah. As usual, I’m rambling. I only mention Utah because I have created a tour, so to speak, of sites that anyone interested in Orrin Porter Rockwell should see.
As a notorious gunslinger, wanted man, and devout Church member, Orrin Porter Rockwell led a life of paradox. His lethal accuracy with a shotgun and policy to “always shoot first . . . that way they know you’re armed” made his time as a lawman controversial at best. Charged with murder or attempted murder on three occasions, Porter was acquitted twice and died before the last charge could come to courts. Despite his rough-and-tumble attitude, Porter Rockwell remained unshakably faithful to the Church and its leaders until his death in June 1878, serving as a body guard to Joseph Smith and Brigham Young.
I have relatives who knew Ol’ Port and served with him. He is one of my heroes. So I’ve created a tour, or at least a bucket list, of places having to do with the historical figure.
I have never been to any of these places so my description of location and other details may be slightly skewed.
My kids live near Provo in Utah so I am starting this tour from the South and working my way up Interstate 15. There are also two locations that are not in Utah.
First on my list is Eureka, Utah.
Porter's Place, 321 Main St, Eureka, Utah
Porter’s Place used to be located in Lehi, Utah but because of a problem with the building they were in, they relocated.
This restaurant is devoted completely to Porter Rockwell and his fame and legend. Porter’s Place is an independent family owned restaurant that is dedicated to honoring the heritage of Mormon Pioneer Orrin Porter Rockwell.
In 2018, after nearly 50 years operating on Lehi Main St, the restaurant moved to Eureka Utah.
This is a great first stop. Eat lunch and ask about the historical items they have in their restaurant. Take pictures!
Porter Rockwell Cabin
229 Main St, Eureka, Utah
Another great historical site is the cabin of Porter. It was moved from The Porter Rockwell Ranch near Cherry Creek, Juab County, Utah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRE2ivawJi4
Here is a video walking through Porter's Cabin
Next on the list is Lehi, Utah. It was said that Porter lived in Lehi at one time. Check out the John Hutchings Museum, 55 N Center St in Lehi. There are many items from Porter in this museum. Also in the Lehi town square N Center and about E 100 N is a statue of Ol' Port himself. Get lots of pictures!
Now head to “the point of the mountain” Bluffdale, Utah
In Harold Schindler's biography, "Orrin Porter Rockwell", it states: “On July 29, 1858, Orrin Porter Rockwell counted out $500 and purchased from Evan M. Green sixteen acres of real estate at Hot Springs near Point of the Mountain (on the road between Great Salt Lake City and Lehi). The trail was traveled by every city bound trooper in Johnston's Army. Mr Rockwell had it in mind to build a place where a man could buy a glass of home brewed beer, stable his animals, stay overnight, or just stop to pass the time of day. He called it the Hot Springs Brewery Hotel. In its prime this property included a hotel with dining facilities, stable, brewery and a Pony Express station.”
As far as I have found, there is nothing left of the Hotel and Brewery. If there is, I can't find any information about it. There is, however, a Porter Rockwell Boulevard in Bluffdale. State Route 131 is a Utah state highway, routed entirely on Porter Rockwell Boulevard. It is currently a 0.8 miles spur southwest from 14600 South, but it will extend west to Redwood Road once an extension is complete. I'm not sure it has been completed.
There is a memorial called The Porter Rockwell Center at I15 and Highland just outside of Bluffdale. There is another, of only two that I know of, statue of Porter Rockwell.
Rockwell's Station (14600 S Street, Bluffdale, UT) is on the Pony Express National Historic Trails list. There is a large stone memorial to Porter's station there.
Then we leave Bluffdale and head to Draper to visit Porter Rockwell Trail
The Porter Rockwell Trail begins at Draper City Park in Draper, Utah.
To reach the park from I-15 in the Salt Lake Valley:
5. Take Exit 291 for 12300 South.
6. Turn east onto 12300 South and continue for 2.2 miles to 1300 East.
7. Turn right (south) onto 1300 East and continue 0.3 miles to Park Road.
Turn right (west) onto Park Road and then immediately left into Draper City Park.
This looks like a great trail for hiking, or biking. Again, take lots of pictures!
Finally the last Utah location is Salt Lake City. Porter Rockwell's grave is in the Salt Lake City Cemetery, 200 N St E, Salt Lake City, Utah
His grave location: Plot C, Block 5, Lot 9, Grave 1, Tier E.
There are also many prophets and apostles buried there.
The first out of Utah location is Independence, Missouri
Missouri Mormon Walking Tour
Beginning at Walnut and River, across the street from the Community of Christ Auditorium, the trail is one-mile-long with 14 plaques depicting key early Mormon sites.
1827 Jail Lot 2
The 1827 county jail was located at the back of the lot at the southeast corner of present-day Main and Truman. An outside stairway to the upper room was the only way to enter the 16 X 16-foot-square hewn-log structure. Prominent Mormons, A. Sidney Gilbert, William McLellin, John Corrill, and Isaac Morley, were jailed in the lower dungeon in Novemeber 1833. A decade later, Orrin Porter Rockwell was held in the second jail built on this site. The present building on this site was a fire station and today serves as the Truman Home ticket office.
Nauvoo Illinois home site
There is a monument there that marks the site of the Porter Rockwell Nauvoo home. Porter was raised in Manchester, New York and was a boyhood friend of the Prophet Joseph Smith. He was ever loyal to the Prophet and his successor, President Brigham Young.
I have never visited any of these sites but I will do the Utah tour the next time I’m in Utah.
Orrin Porter Rockwell’s 206th birthday is on June 28th. I hope we can remember him as the tough, defender of the prophet and defender of the faith. That’s how I remember him.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
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