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Show 76 The Road to Zion's Dedication From the time President Wilson signed the Zion legislation, anticipation of the park's dedication drove the press coverage. The Deseret Evening News predicted "ceremonies rather elaborate" and a "lengthy cavalcade of automobiles to run [to Zion] from Salt Lake and points south."212 The paper also reported 1hat the dedication would "be the biggest celebration ever held in southern Utah." 213 As the excitement grew, government and business interests pushed for road improvements. Mather, passing through Salt Lake City a week before the dedication, urged Utah's governor to construct a "scenic highway to link the wonders of Utah." 214 According to Mather, "such a road linking so many scenic attractions of the first magnitude and other points of interest would form an irresistible magnet for tourists. Nowhere in the world, he said, arc there to be found within such a comparatively small radius so many wonderful fonns of natural grandeur.',2 15 Although the papers never mentioned opposition to building roads to the national parks, Albright wrote of his request of Governor Bamberger to help finance access roads: "In his heavily accented voice, he shouted, '1 build no more roads to rocks1"' 216 One of the reasons the road conditions received so much attention was due in part to the increasing interest in automobile touring. Much of the news abou1 Zion and other 112 Deserer t:w•ning News, "Park Dedication,'" November 27, 1919, sec. 2, 6. 211 Deserer News, " Prominent Men Will Leave for Park Dedication," September 13, 1920, see. 2, I m Desercl News, '"Park Director Urges Utah Scenic Highway,'' September 10, 1920. m Ibid. See also Dcseret News, ""Mather Urges Better Roads to Wonderland,'' September 22, 1920, sec. 2, 8 216 Albright and Schenck, Creating the Narional Park Service, 244-5. |
