Published: August 15, 2025
Missed out on the Utah Cultural Site Stewardship Program’s social media posts and updates? Not anymore! Keep scrolling to catch up on all things UCSS – from the site visit with Governor Spencer J. Cox, to clips of the newest episodes of Beyond the 50-Year Rule.
Let’s start off by highlighting a great opportunity UCSS had to show Utah’s Governor what we do.
“Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox recently joined SHPO staff, volunteers, and partners in a site visit to petroglyph panels at McConkie Ranch. We’re glad to have had such an amazing opportunity to share how SHPO’s programs, volunteers, and partners help safeguard Utah’s heritage.
Utah’s Cultural Site Stewardship Program, which partners with the McConkie family to help landowners safeguard the world-famous sites, was represented by Program Manager Ian Wright and Operations Coordinator Lexi Little, and Donna Law, executive director of the Department of Cultural and Community Engagement, as well as members of the McConkie family and volunteers who monitor sites.
The McConkie family are also recipients of SHPO’s Archaeology Grant, which provided funding for improved fencing, creation and installation of interpretive and etiquette signage, establishment of a new website, and more.
The McConkie family have donated an incredible amount of their personal time and resources to stewarding these sites while making them accessible to the public. UCSS and SHPO are glad to partner with them to ensure the continued preservation of these significant sites through stewardship and grant funding. We are proud to have shared the work that SHPO, UCSS, our volunteers, and our partners do in service of cultural resources with Governor Cox.
Some photos by the Utah State Office of the Governor.”
Next, let’s highlight the new episodes of Beyond the 50-Year Rule. These episodes highlight our partnership with the Division of Outdoor Recreation and how cultural resource stewardship and outdoor recreation intertwine, and the importance of exploring Utahns’ histories when planning a museum like the Museum of Utah.
Next, check out this recap of the Stewardship Strut! We hope to see you at the next one, especially when this event was such a success.
We also brought some attention to a historic site UCSS volunteers steward – Silver Reef Museum.
“Today’s Silver Reef Museum was once the Wells Fargo Express Office, shown above in 1928. The Wells Fargo Express Office supported the mining boomtown of Silver Reef. Silver Reef was one of the largest towns in Washington County in 1876, due to the silver rush from the discovery of silver in sandstone nearby. Tthe town’s population dwindled through the early 1900s to become today’s desert ghost town. Silver Reef is the only place in North America where miners found silver in sandstone. The stone steps outside are original to the building, and would have originally been used by people unloading from stagecoaches. Utah’s Cultural Site Stewardship Program is proud to have stewards working to safeguard this unique piece of Utah and North American history.”
Thanks for taking the time to catch up on stewardship social media! We hope you enjoyed this month in review.
