Tired Road Warrior

In early May 2006, I traveled to Castle Dale, Utah, to do a video interview with Montell Seely. From his back porch, overlooking the riparian pastures adjacent to Cottonwood Creek, Montell can scan the Wasatch Plateau, the mountains his grandfather crossed in 1877 on orders from Brigham Young. As it turns out, Castle Valley–located in the heart of central Utah–was the last region ordered colonized by the Mormon prophet; Brother Brigham died a week after sending his colonization letter.

History runs through Montell’s veins. While most historians immerse themselves in scholarly writings, Montell literally lives the past. Not to the total exclusion of everything modern, but enough to give his life an authentic pioneer feel.

But Montell has also been involved with written history, notably he was a major contributor to a massive history of the Castle Valley area titled: Emery County: 1880-1980. But one gets the impression that his real love are things more tangible; he was instrumental in organizing the 1977 reenactment of the pioneering journey that brought the original Mormon settlers to Castle Valley. And then there is the Castle Valley pageant, a joint concept of Carol Ann Driggs and Montell. According to an account written by Seely:

“Back in the ‘catacombs’ of my mind, there had been, for years, an idea that Castle Valley needed a pageant, one that would tell the story of the pioneers who settled this desolate valley. I had two objectives in mind: (1) I wanted people to develop an increased love for their pioneer ancestors and (2) I wanted them to feel an increased love for this land (Castle Valley).

So I said to Sister Driggs, ‘What we really need in this area is a pageant that tells the story of the pioneers coming into this valley.’ As I said that, I had in mind an outdoor production, staged in a natural setting, and one that would be a historic presentation, with horses pulling covered wagons.

She said, ‘if someone will write the script, I can direct it.’ I was to learn later that, as she responded, she had in her mind a stage production like the play OKLAHOMA.”

After attempting unsuccessfully to recruit a scipt writer, Montell wrote one himself. He also located a natural amphitheater high on a bench overlooking Castle Valley; from this locale the pagaent has been performed annually since 1978. Even though the pageant has evolved over subsequent years, it still involves a pioneering reenactment with horses and wagons. Largely under the Montell’s continuing influence, pageant audiences are treated to living history demonstrations.

Just below his home, Montell and his son Mark have constructed a large functioning watermill. The mill’s large wheel is powered by seepage water from a nearby spring. Why construct a mill? According to Montell: ” . . . it goes back to the fact that I am interested in anything old, old style, old time, old fashioned . . . but an additional interest is the fact that my grandfather and his brother built a flour mill.” There is also something aethetically pleasing about a waterwheel turning. “It is just one of those things that is satisfying to the human soul: a waterwheel being powered with water. . . its just a satisfying experience.”

Inside Montell’s home is a collection of pioneer memorabilia and a small log cabin. Montell is fond of asking visitors: Which came first my house or its interior log cabin? (Answer: his home.) Outside his rough-around-the-edges house is a yard full of “interesting” relics, many with a pioneer period feel. It is here that Montell constructed his water wheel. It is also here that he stores his covered wagon and handcart. Montell and his son have used the handcart on two historic reenactments: the Mormon Trail trek across the heart of America and the “Hole-in-the-Rock” Trail across some of the most rugged country in southern Utah.

This entry was posted on Monday, May 22nd, 2006 at 3:07 pm and is filed under Mormondom, Personalities. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.