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Colorado City tourist information
Colorado City tourist information
Mormon pioneers first settled in Utah and neighboring states in 1848 to avoid persecution and to live their faith, which included a belief in polygamy. In 1890, amidst heavy pressure from the United States Government, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints renounced polygamy and to this day continues to forswear the practice.
Some Mormons, however, never accepted the church doctrine and Federal law that forbid polygamy. They continued to practice "plural marriage". As their viewpoints were no longer accepted by the mainstream Church, they founded splinter groups such as the "Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" (FLDS) and usually lived in remote communities, keeping mostly to themselves.
Colorado City is one such community. The city straddles the Utah/Arizona border. Virtually all land in the community is owned by the United Effort Plan, a FLDS corporation. Local government, including the police and public school, is run by church members. While Colorado City has survived an infamous anti-polygamy raid in 1953 as well as the death of its founder, its future remains uncertain. Detractors, including those formerly associated with the Fundamentalist community, say the church leader exercises extreme control over its members and on his orders may re-assign wives or banish men. A State investigation began over allegations that some underage women were taken as brides in the community and that the local police worked to squelch any investigation about the practice. Community members are also embroiled in a property tax dispute as well as disputes over attempts to evict dissenting residents.
On September 25th, 2007, Warren Jeffs, who FLDS adherents regarded as their leader and prophet, was convicted in a Utah court as an accomplice to rape, even though his only connection to the alleged victim was as officiant at her wedding. In the year 2008, more attention was thrust on the community when Texas rangers conducted a botched raid on a FLDS ranch based on a crank phone call. Some outside observers have commented that all this unwanted attention has caused the community to open up somewhat. A handful of small shops have opened, and the presence of visitors is now more or less tolerated.
An unusual and uninviting place for tourists to go, Colorado City might nonetheless be a worthwhile stop for those undertaking a Mormon history tour, or for anyone who wants to see the results of a community that has struggled for years to isolate itself and maintain its own traditions.
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Colorado City Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.