Some Would Ask "Why Should Massachusett's Chief Massasoit Return to the Utah State Capital?"

Because its about the Sculptor,

Cyrus Edwin Dallin.

But Why Should Mt. Pleasant Citizens Have an Interest in Him?

By Mike Stroud, circa May 1997
Massasoit Statue in Salt Lake City, Utah

In 1922 Dallin presented the original plaster figure to the State of Utah. A bronze copy was placed in the gardens in front of the building, perhaps to honor Cyrus Dallin and to make a connection between Utah and the early history of the nation. courtesy of http://www.hmdb.org/

Utah's Chief Massasoit statue, now sitting at the Metal Arts Foundry in Lehi,

(Francisco Kjolseth / The Salt Lake Tribune)

A bronze Massachusetts Indian chief makes his return to the Utah Capitol sometime this month or next. Chief Massasoit, who celebrated Thanksgiving in 1621 with Massachusetts' pilgrims, has been missing from his prominent place in front of the Capitol's main steps since an extensive renovation began in 2004. But why does Utah show this honor to a Massachusetts Indian Chief?

Perhaps its about the sculptor, Cyrus Edwin Dallin.

Paul Revere Monument --- Boston, Massachusetts --- Cyrus Dallin - Sculptor (photo courtesy of Cyrus Dallin Art Museum, Arlington Massachusetts)

What Is Cyrus Dallin's Connection to Mt. Pleasant?

About the sculptor:
Cyrus Edwin Dallin was born in a Springville cabin in 1861 to Mormon pioneer parents but later became a Presbyterian. He had an early interest in art and American Indian life.

At age 18, he moved to Boston to study sculpture and later took two trips to Paris to learn the art from master sculptors.

He soon gained international recognition for his monumental, award-winning statues of American Indians and patriots. He returned to Utah to craft the Angel Moroni statue for the Salt Lake City LDS Temple and the Brigham Young Monument on Main Street.

He created three Chief Massasoit statues. Besides Utah's Capitol, the statues are in Plymouth, Mass., and on the Brigham Young University campus in Provo.

Dallin died in 1944 at age 82.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_11121562
Source: Utah History Encyclopedia


The Connection
Cyrus was the nephew and namesake of Mt. Pleasant's own Cyrus Wheelock. In Hilda Madsen Longsdorf's History of Mt. Pleasant we find the name Cyrus Dallin on page 305 as one of the gentlemen who took part and helped in Mt. Pleasant's theatrical troop.

In numerous histories of his life it is said that he made friends with the indians as a child. No doubt there were indian children who lived in and around Springville. But maybe he also played with the indians children who lived near Mt. Pleasant as well which is noted in the histories of other Mt. Pleasant pioneer children such as James Burns, Conderset Row and the Frandsen children. It is said that the indian children taught him to fashion indian figures out of clay and that is how his sculpting of figures started.

So if you should have the opportunity to visit Boston Massachusetts, make sure you see the Paul Revere monument. When you look at the Angel Moroni atop the Salt Lake temple, or visit the Utah State Capital in the future, remember our connection with Cyrus Dallin, world renowned sculptor.