BOUNTIFUL -- A lot of families in the Davis County area can easily trace their ancestry to pioneers who first settled the county. The Bountiful Historical Museum offers a way to find the place, even the specific house, where your family once lived. The Bountiful Historical Museum has printed maps available for the descendants of early pioneers. These maps can be bought at the Museum on Wednesdays between 2 and 4, or Saturdays between 1 and 3. There will be staff members available to help with these maps.

Bountiful city was once surrounded by a dirt wall built by the pioneer men, women and children. The wall was six feet thick at the bottom and twelve feet tall. The wall surrounded an area which is now the center of downtown Bountiful from 200 West to 400 East and 400 North to 500 South.

The Walker War in Sanpete County along with worries of Indians prompted the building of the wall in 1854. There were only a couple of skirmishes with Indians, and the wall was not finished. It then began to grow sagebrush. The Bountiful Historical Museum says, in a written statement, "Pioneer kids had a great time playing on the wall."

Josie, Hannah and their father, Brandt, is one family that has benefited from these maps. They were able to find their great-great-grandfather's pioneer home on a map of Bountiful's Old Fort District. Joseph Holbrook was one of Bountiful's first settlers and an early mayor.

Brandt is the son of Gordon and Lynda Holbrook, who claim Joseph Holbrook as their great-grandfather. Josie and Hannah claim Jennifer, ,the daughter of Dave and Linda Thornell, as their mother.

All those interested in finding more about their own family history may stop by the Bountiful Historical Museum for these maps.



sroberts@davisclipper.com