Willden Fort facts for kids
Willden Fort was a fort built from strong wooden posts in Utah in 1860. It was constructed by Charles William Willden and his son Ellott. The fort was used by the Willden family from 1860 to 1865. After being empty for a short time, it was used again in 1867 while a bigger fort, Cove Fort, was being built nearby.
Building the Fort
In 1852, a leader named Brigham Young asked Charles Willden to move to Cedar City, Utah. Charles had worked with steel in England before coming to the United States. He was asked to help with an iron factory that the Church was trying to start.
While traveling between Salt Lake City and Cedar City, the Willden family camped at Cove Creek. They thought it was a great spot to live. When the iron factory didn't work out in 1859, Charles decided to settle at Cove Creek. He and Ellott built Willden Fort close to where Cove Fort stands today.
First, they built a house out of adobe (a type of mud brick). Then, they surrounded the house with a strong fence made of cedar posts. This fence was about 150 feet long on each side, forming a square. The posts were 8 to 10 feet tall and placed very close together to create a solid wall.
Life at Willden Fort
The Willden family moved into the fort in the spring of 1860. They lived there until 1865. They decided to move back to Beaver, Utah because of two main reasons. First, there were conflicts with Native American groups during what was called Utah's Black Hawk War. Second, a very cold winter killed most of their farm animals.
Even though it was a frontier fort, Willden Fort had many visitors. It was located right on the Mormon Road, which was a major travel route between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. This made the fort a perfect place for travelers to stop and rest. Important visitors like Brigham Young, Lorenzo Snow, John Taylor, and Ezra T. Benson stayed at the fort.
After the Willden family left, Brigham Young asked another person, Ira Hinckley, to build a new fort in the same area. The Willden family actually came back to help build this new fort, which became Cove Fort. For a short time, Willden Fort also held the telegraph office. This meant it was the first place in Millard County, Utah to have a telegraph!
Searching for the Fort
In 1996, the Archaeology Department at Brigham Young University started digging to find out more about Willden Fort. They talked to the Willden family's descendants to figure out the most likely spot where the fort stood. Then, students and professors carefully dug at the site. However, they did not find any remains of the fort or the house.
Remembering the Fort
On September 21, 1996, a special event was held to remember Willden Fort. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints organized a ceremony and placed a plaque there. This plaque honors the history of the site and the Willden family for their important contributions to the area. About 850 descendants of Charles and his wife Eleanor attended the ceremony.
