Moab, Utah

Moab is a beautiful little town in southeast Utah, one of the most isolated in the continental US. It's located next to the only wetlands along the upper Colorado River, in the middle of a vast rocky desert. Overlooking the town is a high mountain range - the LaSal Mountains. Spanish Valley extends about 15 miles to the southeast of Moab. The Spanish Trail, a legendary trading route used by Indians and Spanish before the area was settled, runs through Spanish Valley

AG Wilson brought his family to Moab in 1878. They were the first family to settle there, sent by the Mormon Church to civilize the area. They built a small cabin and started farming and ranching. Before too long there was a huge expanse of irrigated fields, mostly growing peaches, between the town and the river.

Indians still roamed the area, mostly Navajo, Utes, and Paiutes. The southeastern Utah Mormons seemed to get along well with the Indians in general, but there was one group that seemed to continually be a problem for the settlers. They were to cause the Wilsons a lot of grief.