Ramah ready to celebrate its pioneer heritage

This statue of a Mormon pioneer woman and child is located on the grounds of the Ramah Museum in Ramah. The small community, which was founded in the 1870s, will celebrate its Mormon pioneer heritage with a variety of events this weekend. [Independent File Photo]

By Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola
Staff Writer

RAMAH — A community birthday party will be hosted by this small on Saturday, and everyone is invited.

Ramah like scores of other Mormon communities across the West celebrates the 1847 July date when Mormon pioneers arrived in Salt Lake City. The actual anniversary is July 24, but according to Ramah historian Paul Merrill, most Mormon community celebrations are held on a Saturday in July.

Ramah will mark its pioneer celebration with rodeo and bull riding events, an arts and crafts market, a free barbecue dinner, a country western dance, and its annual Pioneer Parade.

Thirty entrants have registered to participate in Saturday's parade so far. The parade will include 10 hand carts, which are similar to the historic hand carts that Mormons pushed across the West in their trek to Salt Lake City, said Merrill, who runs the Ramah Museum. The carts, which feature wagon wheels and axles, were used because of a shortage of draft animals for wagons, he explained.

Parade entries will be accepted up through Saturday morning. Anyone interested in entering the parade should contact Merrill to obtain a parade position number. Horses, floats, bands, vintage cars, buggies, wagons, bicycles, and marching units are welcome.

According to Merrill, the town of Ramah which was named after a biblical community was founded in 1873 by Mormons from Salt Lake City. They came to the area by way of Holbrook and St. Johns, Ariz., he said, and were missionaries to the Zuni and Navajo people. About 500 people currently live in the town, he added, with the surrounding population at about 3,000.

The following schedule was compiled with information provided by Merrill and fellow Ramah resident Richard Evans, who is coordinating the rodeo and bull riding events.

Thursday, July 19

• 7 p.m: Team Roping at the E-E Arena; all ages event; entries accepted at 5 p.m.

Friday, July 20

• 10 a.m: Kid's Rodeo at the E-E Arena; entries accepted at 8 a.m. Divisions: Midget (6 years and under), Peewee (7 to 10 years), Junior (11 to 14 years), and Senior (15 to 18 years). Lots of prizes awarded.
  
  
• 7 p.m: Open Bull Riding at E-E Arena; entries accepted all day. Divisions: Wooly Riding (6 years and under), Calves (7 to 10 years), Steers (11 to 12 years), Junior Bulls (13-15 years), Open Bull Riding (all ages). $500 added money to Open Bull Riding division.

Saturday, July 21

• 10 a.m: Pioneer Parade: begins and ends at Ramah High School, with route through downtown Ramah.
  
  
• 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m: Arts and Crafts Market in downtown Ramah. Food concessions also, including Dutch oven cooking.
  
  
• 2 p.m: Open Rodeo at E-E Arena; entries accepted at noon. Includes fun events like greased pig, egg toss, arena scramble, shoe race, and wild cow milking.
  
  
• 5 p.m: Free Bar-B-Q Dinner at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Meeting House.
  
  
• 7 p.m: County Western Dance at Ramah High School Commons Area with music by Diamondback. Admission is free for senior citizens 60 years and older, $5/singles, $7/couple, and $10/family.

For information about any of these events except the parade contact Richard Evans at (505) 783-4220.

For information about the Pioneer Parade, contact Paul Merrill at (505) 783-4677. Merrill can also be contacted about the Ramah Museum, which is open from 1-4 p.m. on Fridays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays, and by appointment.