How Big Were Their Footprints?

Mormon Era

The Mormon settlers brought organized agriculture, logging, water-powered mills, advanced irrigation and sewers to the valley. For the first time the valley could be considered "civilized." The environment was changed again!

Action

Effect

Artesian wells were sunk for irrigation. Creeks and streams were dammed and channeled for water and water-powered mills.

Local animals had to move to find water.

Settlers planted oats, wheat, barley and many fruit trees.

Native animals had to find new food supplies. Hunting reduced the numbers of game animals

First Mormon buildings were log cabins and adobe. Later homes were of brick and boards.

The log cabins were quickly replaced with adobe and wood homes. The home of 1 Mormon family is still standing.

The cattle of the Lugos were replaced by the stock of the Mormons.

There were fewer cattle, but more land was being farmed for grains and fruit.

Mormons were hard workers, producing food for themselves and some to sell in Los Angeles

So few Native Americans had survived the smallpox epidemics, their land was easily taken over by settlers.

The Bottom Line:

The Mormon settlers plowed and planted lots of land for the first time. They made a lot of changes in what grew on the land, and where the water went. They set the stage for the farming of later years. The valley would never again be "open land."

	Action	Effect
	Artesian wells were sunk for irrigation. Creeks and streams were dammed and channeled for water and water-powered mills.	Local animals had to move to find water.
	Settlers planted oats, wheat, barley and many fruit trees.	Native animals had to find new food supplies. Hunting reduced the numbers of game animals
	First Mormon buildings were log cabins and adobe. Later homes were of brick and boards.	The log cabins were quickly replaced with adobe and wood homes. The home of 1 Mormon family is still standing.
	The cattle of the Lugos were replaced by the stock of the Mormons.	There were fewer cattle, but more land was being farmed for grains and fruit.
	Mormons were hard workers, producing food for themselves and some to sell in Los Angeles	So few Native Americans had survived the smallpox epidemics, their land was easily taken over by settlers.