UTAH'S DIXIE HISTORICAL SITES
SONS OF THE UTAH PIONEER - COTTON MISSION CHAPTER

N02- ROCK LDS CHAPEL

Where is it? GPS DATA:
Location: From St. George take highway # 18 to Veyo (19 miles ). Turn left (south) to Gunlock which is 8 miles on good paved road.

GPS: OLD ROCK CHAPEL SITE—37’ 17.25 N 113’ 45.71 W

The old chapel site is now occupied by the yellow house picture #4.

CHAPEL #2 --- 37’ 17.21 N 113’ 113’ 45.77 W

CHAPEL #3 New --- 37’ 17.41 N 113’ 45.51 W

DUP Monument --- 37’ 17.22 N 113’ 45.73 W

CLICK ON PICTURE TO MAKE LARGER  

The friendly little town of Gunlock, located in the southwest corner of Utah, was first settled by William Hamblin, brother of the famous scout and Indian missionary Jacob Hamblin. William was known among the pioneers as an excellent and skillful hunter and gun mechanic, he was also chosen as hunter for the George A. Smith Company.

His cabin was located on the "Old California Trail" and he often entertained travelers on their way to and from California. It was George A. Smith who gave it the name of Gunlock in honor of William in 1857. Soon after, William was joined by two of his brothers-in-law, Dudley and Jeremiah Leavitt and Isaac Riddle. Each of these four families built log cabins and planted crops, planning to make this their permanent home. This was where the Gunlock fields are located just south of town.

On Christmas Day 1861, it began to rain, and for thirty days they never saw the sun, and most of the time it was raining. They were forced to leave their homes and move up the Black Ridge. When they returned to their homes, to find everything soaked and most of their land washed away. Jeremiah found one corner of his cabin hanging over a ten foot bank. They then moved on up the creek to where Gunlock stands today.

By 1880 there were about 100 people in Gunlock, a number of whom had come from Hebron. Mail service for Gunlock began in July 1883.

In April, 1877 William E. Jones, his wife and five children moved into Gunlock from Hebron. The following June 26 the first school was started with William E. Jones as teacher and twenty-seven pupils, the patrons furnished their own books and supplies, and paid tuition for the pupils. This first year there was a territorial appropriation of $28.50 toward paying the teacher. Of Gunlocks twenty-seven pupils, eighteen belonged to Dudley Leavitt, and when he took his children out of school ( Dudley was making one of his numerous moves ) it cease operations.

The first record of any Church activity in Gunlock was in 1877. In June of that year, it was organized as a branch of Santa Clara Ward, with Dudley Leavitt as the Presiding Elder. Whenever missionaries were sent up from Santa Clara Ward, church meetings were held.

The Gunlock Ward was organized February 16, 1879 with Joseph Smith Huntsman as Bishop.

REF: UNDER DIXIE SUN; Washington County Chapter D.U.P. pgs.219-231.