Cache Cave stands as a significant historical landmark in Utah, serving as the site of the first camp for Mormon pioneers upon their arrival on July 12, 1847. Originally named Redden's Cave after Jackson Redden, the location later became known as Cache Cave and functioned as a notable waypoint during the exodus from Nauvoo to the Salt Lake Valley.
During the early days of the pioneer trek, members of the vanguard company used the cave for various purposes. Thomas Bullock, the chief clerk for the company, utilized the space as an office to copy religious documents. Early journals from travelers such as Orson Pratt and William Clayton provide detailed descriptions of the cave's dimensions and its inhabitants, including swallows, martins, and various insects.
The cave walls acted as a register for many travelers who carved their names into the soft sandstone. These inscriptions, some preserved with tar, documented individuals passing through the area until the railroad was completed in 1869. Historical records from 1931 noted that many of these names, including those of members from the 1847 company, were still visible at that time.
Beyond its role as a campsite and register, Cache Cave was the site of several notable historical events. It hosted the first murder trial in Utah involving Howard Egan and James Monroe in 1849. Additionally, during the Utah War in 1857, the cave served as an eastern headquarters for the Nauvoo Legion under Lt. General Daniel H. Wells.
The site also served as a final resting place for several individuals, including infants and Elizabeth Donnelly Maxwell, who died during her journey to the valley.
Geologically formed by an underground stream that eroded the sandstone, the cave remains a unique feature of the landscape. While much of the land is now privately owned and used for sheep ranching, the inscriptions on its walls continue to serve as a witness to the lives and faith of the pioneers who traveled through the region.
