Utah Catholics will participate in two events to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Domínguez–Escalante Expedition. The 1776 journey, led by Franciscan friars Atanasio Domínguez and Silvestre Vélez de Escalante, involved a 1,700-mile search for an overland trade route from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to Catholic missions in Monterey, California.
The expedition entered Utah on Sept. 11, 1776, and reached the Utah Valley near present-day Spanish Fork on Sept. 23. During their time near Utah Lake, the group traded with and preached to Indigenous people. While bad weather and low supplies forced the group to turn back, their records provided the first written documentation of the area by a non-indigenous person.
Michael Courtney, archivist for the Diocese of Salt Lake City, noted that the expedition's maps and records helped lay a foundation for the establishment of the state of Utah. Later explorers, including John C. Frémont, relied on these early records. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also used maps and reports from Frémont's expeditions when traveling west to settle Utah.
To celebrate the milestone, the Cross and Culture Relay is retracing key stops along the original 1776 route through New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona. The relay aims to connect municipal communities and historical landmarks to honor the shared cultural history of the Southwest.
As part of the journey through Utah, the relay will stop at the Cathedral of the Madeleine, located at 309 E. South Temple in Salt Lake City, for a prayer service at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 16. Fr. Christopher Gray, the cathedral rector, stated the visit is fitting as the cathedral represents a Catholic community with roots in the region reaching back to the earliest non-native exploration of the area.
In Spanish Fork, the Historic Preservation Commission is helping organize the Utah leg of the relay. Caleb Pollock, chairman of the commission, noted the city's location is where the expedition exited Spanish Fork Canyon on Sept. 23, 1776, which contributed to the city's name.
On Friday, Sept. 18, the commission will host a celebration at the Spanish Fork Main City Park, located at 49 S. Main St., starting at 6 p.m. The event will include speakers such as Father Omar Ontiveros, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, as well as performances by local Native American dancers and a Brigham Young University Latin dance group.
The commemoration has seen significant interest from various groups and individuals looking to participate in the historical milestone.
