Did You Know That Mt. Pleasant Once Had Its Own ZCMI?

Three of them at different times and different locations.

Mt. Pleasant’s Own Z.C.M.I. (third location). was on State Street and Main; North East Corner of the Intersection and faced south.
Now On display at the Mt. Pleasant Relic Home is an original Z.C.M.I. trunk donated by David and Jan Smith. Also a set of Z.C.M.I. exchange coins which were donated by Dick and Peggy Ruiz. The picture above is also on display. This display features a very important segment of Mt. Pleasant’s history.

Z.C.M.I. stands for Zions Cooperative Mercantile Institution. The following is taken from Hilda Madsen Longsdorf’s History of Mt. Pleasant, page 129.

“Mt.. Pleasant Z. C. M. I.
In February 1869, the Mt. Pleasant Z. C. M. I. was organized. It was a co-operative organization patterned after the Z. C. M. I. that was organized the year previous in Salt Lake City, under the instructions of President Brigham Young, who at that time pointed out to the people the necessity and the benefits of such institutions. The Mt. Pleasant Z. C. M. I. began business in a small room, in a log building, afterwards known as Anderson's Blacksmith Shop, on the east side of State Street, about Third South. Here Anthon H. Lund served as clerk. After a time, the Company erected a log building on the southwest corner, intersection of State and Main Street. (Where Skyline Pharmacy is now located); Quoting Amasa Aldrich: “This was quite a creditable building at that time, being built of logs chinked with mud. The room on the inside was plastered with mud. Outside, above the door, which faced the east, was painted the sign 'Z. C. M. I.' Underneath this was painted the “All Seeing Eye,' and beneath that, 'Holiness to the Lord.' This was the first store building built in Mt. Pleasant, and became known as the Mormon or Polygamist Store. Charlie Hampshire, and Olaf Sorensen were clerks who served. Charlie spoke English and Ole spoke Danish, hence the people could always be served, because when one could not understand the customer, the other could.” (HML)
It is interesting to note that a “lower store” was built later and was known as the Gentile Store, Swedish Store, or Sanpete County Co-op. This is the store now located on the north side of main street at about 150 West, most recently occupied by Head Start.

The third Z.C.M.I. was built on the corner where the Mt. Pleasant Recreation Center is now located. And this last Z.C.M.I. building is shown in the picture above. This building was the first building that necessitated a break in the old fort wall. It was a two story brick building. “Its brick were made and fired by hand and then tested to make sure that “nothing but the first class brick or any other material was put into the building. The huge timbers used were hewed with a broad axe and smoothed with drawing knives.” HML p.156. The second story of the building was used as a theatre and dance hall. Madsen and Anderson operated the theatre and dance hall on the second floor of the brick building, and here the public witnessed Shakespearean plays by John S. Lindsay and Company, also other high class companies, home dramatics, etc., as well as the C. C. A. Christensen's panoramas, minstrel shows, sleight of hand performances, hypnotism, etc., and many heated political rallies, setting forth free trade, tariff on wool, etc.”
“The scenery for the hall was painted by C. C. A. Christensen, a very popular artist. Music for the dances was mostly furnished by the Peter Almertz orchestra, consisting of John Waldermar, Rebecca Beckstrom, Bent Hansen, and others. Brigham Lee was floor manager and prompter. The east room of the building was used as the city council headquarters. On top of the building had been arranged seats, and at daybreak on holidays the Brass Band assembled; their music could be clearly heard in the distance, as the stars and stripes were unfurled. It had been common for the band, in their band wagon, to serenade the city, and they were usually treated with plenty of home-made beer and refreshments.” HML p.173.

Anyone having additional pictures of the people named above or anyone who was also involved which can be added to the Relic Home’s Z.C.M.I. Display is encouraged to email us at pandk@cut.net or visit the Relic Home.

The Mt. Pleasant Pioneer Historical Association is also asking for additional histories of pioneers of our community, but also histories of all residents and events right up to the present time. These histories will be collected, documented, preserved and eventually put on DVD’s for current and future generations.