Wellsville’s Founder’s Day events begin with a cemetery tour Wednesday night

Ron Case and Kent Larsen talk about the monument erected in 2017 to honor the first African Americans in Cache Valley on Tuesday Aug. 31. The two are members of the Wellsville Historical Committee and will be giving a story tour of the Wellsville City Cemetery tonight as part of the Founders Day Celebration.

WELLSVILLE – On Wednesday, Sept. 1, at 6:30 p.m. the Wellsville Historical Committee, led by Kent Larsen, will guide interested people on a fascinating tour of the historic Wellsville Cemetery as part of the 2021 Wellsville Founders Day Celebration.

The family friendly event will include anecdotes of some of the more interesting people interned there. People are advised to bring their own chair.

We generally visit four or five individual graves and talk about the people buried there,” Larsen said. “Like Robert Bindrup, who’s headstone is here, was a stone mason and worked on the Salt Lake Temple. His story is interesting.”

Margaret Christensen Bosworth shows Kaylene Ames the stitch work on a quit her grandmother made when she was 97 years-old Tuesday Aug. 31. The quilt will be on display at the quit show as part of Wellsville’s Founders Day 2021 Quilt Show.

He showed the marker of African Americans who came to Wellsville as slaves and after the Civil War were freed, they bought land and built houses. By 1900 most moved from the valley, some to Salt Lake City.

Ron Case, also on the Historical committee, pointing across the cemetery said all these people had full lives and have stories to tell.

“Some of these people had good lives and some not so good,” he said. “When you start digging, everyone has a story.”

They try not to spend time on some of the well-known figures in the cemetery.

The tour generally has 30 to 40 people who join them for the historical prospective of the valley’s oldest town.

The Wellsville Founders Day 2021 festivities began with a softball tournament which started on Aug. 18. And the championship game will be held on Friday, Sept. 6 at 4:00 p.m. There will be hamburgers, hot dogs, scones and drinks for sale at the concession stand.

On Thursday, Sept. 2, there will be a plaque dedication at 50 E. 100 S. at 6:30 p.m. The Historical Committee wants to recognize the schools that people who lived Wellsville may have attended.

Friday and Saturday, Sept. 3-4 will be the Wellsville Stampede Semi-Pro Rodeo held at the Wellsville Arena, located at 300 S. 350 W. The 10th annual Rocky Mountain Professional Rodeo Association event begins each night at 7:30 p.m. Friday evening tickets are $5 for 6 years of age and older or a car-load can get in for $30. Saturday evening tickets are $5 for anyone 6 years of age and older. Belt buckles will be presented to the winners of the cow hide race. Concessions will also be available.

The historic Wellsville Tabernacle. will be open for the first time in 10 years for the Wellsville Founders Days Celebration.

The annual tennis tournament will be held Friday, Sept. 3, and Monday, Sept. 6. The singles division signup and online bracket can be found at https://www.online-brackets.com/view/13542. The doubles division signup and online bracket can be found at https://www.online-brackets.com/view/13543.

There is no charge to participate, and trophies will be awarded for First and Second Place in each division.

There will also be a round-robin tournament format that will give everyone a chance to play everyone else and have fun.

On Saturday, Sept. 4, there is a golf tournament to be held at the Logan River Golf Course. Also, later that evening there will be a youth dance sponsored by the City Youth Council from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. at the Wellsville Stake Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 30 S. Center. Refreshments will be served.

The Quilt Show will be held on Sunday, Sept. 5, from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. and Monday, Sept. 6, from 12 noon until 3 p.m. at the Wellsville Community Center which will be open for the first time in 10 years. The American West Historical Quilt Collection will be on display.

Margaret Christensen Bosworth shows one of her quilts with a 1951 receipt for fabric sewed into it on Tuesday Aug. 31 2021.

The Patriotic Program will be held on Sunday, Sept. 5, at 7:30 p.m. in the Wellsville Stake Center located at 30 South Center. Sunday dress requested.

Monday, Sept. 6, from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. the community breakfast will be served at the City Square. The $7 a plate pancake breakfast will be served with strawberries, whipped cream or farm fresh eggs, sausage, hash browns, juice, flavored milks, hot chocolate and coffee. All proceeds benefit the Wellsville Tabernacle.

Also on Monday is the Fun Run with a 7 a.m. sharp start. Participants can run the 5K or 10K and kids can run a 1-mile route. All races will begin at 100 E. 100 S. on the east side of the Tabernacle.

The Founders Day Parade will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Monday at 300 N. Center. The parade route goes from 300 North along Center to 200 South, then turns down 200 South to 100 East, then back to Main Street.

A Watermelon Bust will start at 12:00 noon at the pavilion on the City Square and will be served by the 2021 Wellsville Royalty.

This year they have added Bingo to their games. There will also be Ax Throwing, Obstacle Course and the Famous Bouncy Clown Ride on the City Square from 1:30 p.m. until 3 p.m. Unlimited use wristbands are only $7.

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1 Comment

  • Paul Doman September 11, 2021 at 10:28 am Reply

    When I lived there in the 70s, my favorite part of Founders Day was the Indian attack.

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