On the morning of Saturday, July 20, Camp Geyser (Fremont) hosted the “Fremont School Bell” Daughters of Utah Pioneer marker dedication. About 50 people attended the breakfast event under cool, overcast skies.
The establishment of an ISDUP marker is an important event for Daughters of Utah Pioneers. The dedication service of a marker is a great experience where the pioneer history is provided, efforts are recognized and the marker is dedicated for generations to gain an understanding of the courage and strength of Utah Pioneers.
The marker application process is an arduous one and Camp Geyser is honored to finally obtain a plaque and be able to provide upkeep and maintain it for years to come.
The “Fremont School Bell” has significant local historical value. Early settlers in Fremont valued education for their children and once a school house was established, the bell was installed. Most families didn’t have clocks, so the bell became an integral part of the community. It was rung fifteen minutes before the start of school and also sounded to notify local citizens of holidays and special occasions.
The last DUP Marker dedication in the Wayne (County) Company was the Nielsen Grist Mill (Teasdale) in 1999. The first marker dedication was the Thurber Relief Society Hall (Bicknell) dedicated in 1939. There are currently a total of eleven DUP markers in Wayne County, three of which are cared for by Camp Geyser. This will be the fourth for Camp Geyser and the twelfth for Wayne Company.
We want to thank all those who participated in making this event a success!
International Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers (ISDUP) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organized solely for historical, educational, and public purposes and is completely non-political and non-sectarian. We are dedicated to honoring the names and achievements of the men, women, and children who founded Utah. We seek to encompass a broad scope of services, ranging from the preservation of historic landmarks to the education of thousands of school children and adults about their pioneer forebears. More information about this organization, specifically Wayne Company, is available at isdup.org.
– by Lauralee Williams
Feature image caption: The monument’s construction crew. Bob Flugrad, Ron Perkins, Steve Taylor, Ricky Norman (back) and Jeff Oyler stand with the bell monument in Fremont on July 20. Courtesy of Kylee Boyter/Richfield Reaper.