Pioneer Day

Pioneer Day, July 24th is a big day in Utah; some say it is more celebrated than the 4th of July. It may have a ring of truth in the Salt Lake Valley. There are the Days of 47 parades, rodeo and other events. Pioneer Day is celebrated in other Utah cities. Last week, Draper honored their pioneer heritage and Cottonwood Heights is celebrating their pioneer heritage this weekend. And Manassa, Colorado is celebrating Pioneer Day this weekend. Manassa has been honoring their pioneer heritage for very long time. Since the 24th falls on Sunday, the holiday will fall on Monday. But in Manassa, Colorado, the celebrations are most likely today, since outside Utah, Monday is just another day in paradise. The first parade I attended in Manassa was in 1980. My mom was in the San Luis Valley attending to my grandma, who was dieing from brain cancer. My brother, Mike, drove her car from Idaho with Jay and Laura, who were still minors at the time. They picked me up in Salt Lake and John in Provo. We all fit in 1978 Chevette and I surprised that none of us were killed on the way to the San Luis Valley. Since it was the 24th weekend, we were able to drive to Manassa to see the parade. There were a few floats. I remember one little boy on one of the floats saying Hi to his mom when the parade came back thru town a second time. In 2004, I attended a Jackson family reunion. One of our activities was attending the parade. There were more floats, so it didn’t have the same small town feel as it did before. But it still came back to town like it did before. My cousin, Will’s son, Sam surprised us all when he waved to us from a float. Apparently someone saw him and invited him to participate. Before the parade, my brothers, John, Steven and Jay ran the The Pioneer Day 5k race along with my cousins. Of course, David, my cousin and Sam’s uncle was the first family member to cross the finish line. But then he completes in Triathlons. Jay, the marathon runner came in second or third. Both David and Jay won ribbons in their age division. After the parade, Will took us on a tour of where our ancestors, Samuel Jackson and his son, Lafayette lived. Both houses in Manassa are still standing, including Samuel Jackson’s ranch house near Sanford, Colorado. When I got back to Utah, one of my co-workers was surprised that a small town in Colorado celebrated Pioneer Day. I told her that Mormons settled in the Manassa along with the Catholics and Pioneer Day was celebrated that weekend to honor all those who settled in the valley. Even in the Salt Lake Valley, the Days of ’47 celebrates not just the Mormon Pioneers who came at the end of July, but others who followed, the Catholics, the Jews, the Greek Orthodox, the Baptists and other faiths and groups.
After I shared this post with my aunt, she informed that the Pioneer Parade in Manassa once had a Brigham Young and (one of) his wives as marshals of the parade. One year, my parents were selected as the couple to represent Brigham Young and Mrs. Young. I am thinking this was shortly after my parents were married and before my oldest brother was born. My mom said (if I remember right) that my dad was a reluctant participant. My aunt said my dad probably liked driving the horses or whatever one does with horses pulling a buggy.