The Blue Goose Saloon Still Exists in Monticello, Utah.

Since moving to Monticello, I have heard three versions concerning The Blue Goose Saloon; the first that it burned down, the second that it had been moved, the third that it had been rebuilt and then torn down once again.  Well the mystery seems to have been solved when Jim Brandt purchased the old Bar TN property and renamed it Old West RV.  Also for sale was a small home at the northern corner of their property which was rumored to be the Blue Goose.  After purchase, deconstruction was begun and was found treasure beneath the modern layers of plaster and shingles...The Blue Goose Saloon.  With the help of Jim McCarthy, owner of Abajo Trading Post, this cabin of hand hewed logs and planks will be restored and moved to a new location near the Trading Post.

This finding of a historical site and its preservation is exciting news to many in the community.  I went over to the site and took several photos, before when it was for sale, and after the uncovering.  First a little history lesson...

William E. (Latigo) Gordon was the foreman of the Carlisle Ranch located north of Monticello.  The cowboys who worked the ranch often got themselves into mischief, so Latigo built the first Blue Goose Saloon in 1896, grand opening September 10th.  It's location was where the current Main Street is, between Wagon Wheel Pizza and the second hand shop known as Mimi's Thrift Store.  Latigo's intent was to give the cowboys a place to hang out, instead of causing havoc in Monticello due to boredom. After a few drinks, those cowboys either took a long nap, or caused havoc anyway. He closed it less than a year later when the city raised the price of the license to $1,000.00.

Now the cabin which was found, currently located on 300 South, half a block west of Main Street, was built by Ramon Gonsalez after moving here from Colorado with his wife, Guadeloupe, "Lupe". He died in 1902 and she married Bartolo Jaramillo in 1904. He made whiskey, or White Mule, as he called it, and they sold it from the cabin, calling it the Blue Goose. He was arrested for bootlegging in 1920 during prohibition, as part of a federal sting between Monticello and Thompson (Springs).

I have to give another thank you to Jim McCarthy for providing me with the above historical date on the Blue Goose Saloon.

Before Photos After it was Covered Over with Modern Day Materials.

August 02, 2015

There were obvious signs of water and fire damages in the attic.

Chimney



Wonder whose license plate that had belonged to?

Wood Burning Stove

Modern Interior with Wood Beans Showing.

After Deconstruction and Cabin Revealed.

September 28, 2015

Front



Interior (1).

Hand Hewed Logs and Planks.



Interior (2)

Rear and Left Side

Rear and Right Side
 

Right Side - Front

Right Side - Rear

So there you have it, a historical site in Monticello still exists, will be restored and moved to a prominent location on Main Street for all to visit.  History - 1, Naysayers - 0.

Mary Cokenour

Nine Mile Canyon - Part Eight.

Well here it is, the last part, well the last part which concerns our March and August 2015 visits to Nine Mile Canyon.  Finding the "Santa Panel" was thrilling, plus there were a few other sites along Frank's Canyon Road; but I'm getting ahead of myself.

Greeted on our adventure by a Mountain Bluebird.

First stop is Daddy Canyon Complex at mile mark 44.0; here's your chance to use restrooms if you need to go as it's the only area along the 50 mile road that has them.  I've posted many photos on previous posts, so there won't be a lot of rock art photos, mostly landscapes.

Just a few rock art sites...

The Dry Wash at Daddy Canyon Complex; go across and there is more rock art to see.



Daddy Canyon and a storm approaching.

44.8 - Spiral

Mile mark 46.0 is a junction; to the right leads to Cottonwood Canyon where the Buffalo Panel, Pregnant Buffalo, The Great Hunt and more rock art sites can be found. However, to the left is a one mile road that now has a name, Frank's Canyon Road and leads to the Santa Panel. This panel was so named due to the human figure holding a whip, while nine "reindeer" are in a line ahead of him (the third, very small one, is probably Rudolph). The reindeer are, more than likely, elk and mountain goats, but still, it's an interesting site to see.

4/10s of a mile along Frank's Canyon Road

White arrow on photo shows the location up on the wall.

5/10s of a mile (at ground level)

8/10s of a mile (at ground level)

In case you have no clue as to what The Great Hunt (mile mark 46.5) is, here's a photo.  We have been to it several times, and always manage to find something new amongst the other rock art in the area.



The Great Hunt

Buffalo drawing at The Great Hunt site.

Back at Daddy Canyon Complex, the view looking westward was stunning.

Here's an option for leaving Nine Mile Canyon, take the Argyle Canyon Road which brings you to Route 191; south of Duchesne and north of Helper.  It's a scenic drive and if you don't mind the extra time, do the drive.

Route 191 looking southwest.

As dusk begins to near, the mule deer come out and they will be on the roadway, so be careful as you drive through.

This Mule Deer thinks it's a Mountain Goat.

Almost to the Nine Mile Canyon sign, we saw this ram who surely needed a good shearing.  He turned, stared at us, his mouth moving silently, but we could tell what he was saying with his glowing eyes...."Get Out!!!"

...and did we!

Mary Cokenour

Nine Mile Canyon - Part Seven.

So now I'll be showing you mile mark 38 to the end of mile mark 43; besides loads of rock art, we found several granary sites. Oh yeah, another one of those "ducks"....a crane actually, and this one is standing on one leg while resting the other.

Mile Mark 38.0

Now I know the "stick figures" are modern graffiti, so try to focus on what lies beneath and around it.

Sort of near the center; a crane resting on one leg.



Series of slanted lines.

Mile Mark 38.1 - Faded Circle and Deer.

Mile Mark 38.7

This is the location of the road through Gate Canyon, heading up northward to Duschene.  West and East of the roadway, there are rock art sites upon the walls.

West

East

Now don't go speeding off down the road; mile mark 38.8 and 38.9 are full of drawings and carvings to feast the eyes upon.  Once again, keep hands off!

Mile Mark 38.8

Most of the rock art is at ground level, but hidden by bushes during the summer months; after those leaves fall, the real beauty appears.

However, you might just want to look upwards about 300 feet to see the spiral and mountain goats.

Mile Mark 38.9

Working the Fields.

Rainbow and Sun.

Mile Mark  39.2

This area has an unusual granary; it is high up in the crevice of the walls; depending on how the sunlight hits it, the granary can be easily spotted, or completely hidden.  At ground level, there are faded mountain goats; looks like part of the panel cracked off and fell to the ground at sometime.

 

 

At 39.5, there is a series of dots in, what seems to be, the top and bottom of some figure.  Someone on a rock art Facebook site suggested the "series of dots" designs could be related to the stars, and their locations in the night sky.

 

40.1 - Man Riding a Horse

40.4 - Faded Mountain Goat

 

40.4 - Oct 31, 1956 Date plus Rock Art

Mile mark 40.8 is an exciting panel; it is a full depiction of a pueblo, with a giant sized horned figure nearby.  This panel is around the corner from a figure I have already called "The Giant" which is at ground level; the pueblo is approximately 50 feet upward.  We didn't see it, at first, when we traveled east along the roadway, but on the way back west, "Oh My!!!".

 

40.9 - Faded Panel with various figures.

 

At 41.0, there is a pull in area with gas pipes; park and look in a southwesterly direction; there is a granary plus more ruins on a ledge.

 

Mile Mark 41.3, stop at the cattle guard, there is rock art on the walls.

 

Mile Mark 41.7 is a granary sitting at roof level of the average vehicle.

 

 

Mile Mark 41.8 is a bit amusing; first, at ground level, is a man riding a bull.  Now we need to use some imagination; everyone knows the Geico Gecko; well start imagining what he looks like.  Look up and north, there is a granary tucked under his chin.

 

Mile Mark 42.4

 

High up on the walls, northeast, is a small, round granary and there are still some timbers visible.

 

 

Mile Mark 41.3

 

Pillars of Stone form an arch; someone marked "X" as the spot; wavy lines could be several snakes going after the mountain goats.

 

 

Almost done folks; 43.3 looks like there might be ruins up on the ledge, but I couldn't see any when I blew up the photo on a larger screen; do love the layers of color though.

 

43.7 is a mystery; it's a home, but whether it's modern graffiti, or ancestral, I cannot tell you.  

...and that's it for part seven of Nine Mile Canyon.  Part Eight will begin at mile mark 44.0 - Daddy Canyon Complex.

 

Mary Cokenour