Ever heard of Salt Creek Fort and the nearby massacres?

Once an attempt to answer a question about culture or history, it brings up more profound questions that are difficult to answer. Oftentimes, we don't know the real truth, but attempt to listen, read, touch and learn from all, including oral hand-me-down stories. Such is the case in Nephi, Utah, that was first named Salt Creek, Utah, when settled by white men in 1847. Like the history of the world, people have a tendency to invade other territories and people and start their own history lesson. One of the main people I turn to about the history of Nephi and Juab County is Alice P. McCune, who wrote the first known history book of Juab County. I first became aware of her in about 1959, when my father asked me to pull weeds for her. I really didn't know how to pull weeds, but she soon showed me, causing her hands and arms to be covered with blood from the rose bushes we were pulling weeds from. Although over 90 years old, she taught me good work ethics and how she knew both my grandfathers who she interviewed to write her history book. Just 7 years after the Mormons invaded Indian land of Utah, Brigham Young advised local leaders it was better to feed the Indians instead of fight them, but nevertheless, we ought to  built a Fort, which we did-three blocks square. Below is the map of that Fort from the book written by my friend and teacher-Alice Paxman McCune. At the time of the Mormon invasion to Utah, people didn't appreciate the Indian culture, but through time and study, we have learned much from them. Most of the "Ancient Ones" lived off the land, from eating the buds of grains, rye and grasses'. When our European forefathers' arrived, we like steak, but cattle needed food, and ate the grasses the Indians needed. Thus hostilities broke out and we had the "Utah Indian Wars". A band of Indians were living above Nephi in Salt Creek Canyon. They were tired of the"paleface" and killed several settlers on their way to Sanpete County. We called it the "Salt Creek Massacre" and put the blame on the Indians, as did the books author. Many years later, we then learned that there was another "Massacre "outside Fort Salt Creek, where locals dumped their garbage. This time, it was the white men that massacred several Indians that came down to the Fort for free food. As that massacre happened the day after the one by the County Divide, we inadvertently butchered innocent humans, and I had been so told by a former school principle that us "kids were invading sacred land" when we played Cowboy's and Indians by the Old Holler. So far, only the local paper "The Times News" reported it. Eventually, peace was made, but all the Indians have about left the area. A photo of the last of one of the gates at the north or south end of the Fort is hanging on the hall of Nephi City. We haven't yet identified which gate it was, but we are still doing our research. Sometimes, it takes time for the final chapter to appear!