Home of Truth, Utah

Last updated

Home of Truth
Marie's Place Utah.jpeg
Entrance to the "Inner Portal"
USA Utah location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Home of Truth
Location of Home of Truth in Utah
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Home of Truth
Home of Truth (the United States)
Coordinates: 38°03′40″N109°23′02″W / 38.06111°N 109.38389°W / 38.06111; -109.38389
Country United States
State Utah
County San Juan
Established1933
Abandoned1937, empty 1977

Home of Truth is a ghost town located in San Juan County in southeastern Utah, United States. The settlement was a short-lived utopian religious intentional community in the 1930s, led by a spiritualist named Marie Ogden. The Home of Truth started in 1933 with an initial population of 22 people, but grew to around 100 at its peak.

Contents

During its brief history, the town was isolated from the surrounding community socially as well as physically, its residents keeping to themselves in a strict, simple lifestyle. Ogden took over the local newspaper and used it to introduce outsiders to her beliefs. The crisis that led to the downfall of the Home of Truth resulted from her writings about efforts to raise a woman from the dead. The investigations by local authorities and the intense media attention that followed drove most of the members to abandon the group by the end of 1937. A handful of residents continued to occupy Home of Truth until 1977.

Today the empty buildings at Home of Truth, lying on fenced private land, are little-noticed curiosities along Utah State Route 211, seen mainly by visitors to the Needles district of Canyonlands National Park.

Location

Photograph Gap Photograph Gap Utah.jpeg
Photograph Gap

The site of Home of Truth lies approximately 15 miles (24 km) north of Monticello, and some 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Church Rock. The settlement was spread out along Dry Valley, bounded on the north and south by irregular mountain ridges that come close together at the western end, in a place called Photograph Gap. In the image to the left, the "Inner Portal" is on the horizon just to the right of the road.

Utah State Route 211, the road to Newspaper Rock and the entrance to the Needles district of Canyonlands National Park, passes through the site.

History

Foundation

Unfinished chapel at the Middle Portal Unfinished Chapel at the Middle Portal.jpg
Unfinished chapel at the Middle Portal

Marie Ogden (May 31, 1883 March 4, 1975) [1] was a wealthy, well-educated widow from Newark, New Jersey. She was prominent and active in community affairs, working for the welfare of the poor [2] and rising to the presidency of the New Jersey State Federation of Women's Clubs. After the death of her husband, Harry Ogden, in 1929, she sought comfort in spiritualism, [3] soon forming an occult group called the School of Truth. Ogden was attracted to the idea that spiritualism could allow her to communicate with her dead husband and learn why he died, as well as to find the answers to life for herself. [4] She briefly joined the early "League of the Liberators" organization of spiritualist William Dudley Pelley, whose esoteric spiritual experiences and millennialist teachings resonated with her. In 1932 she became the largest single financial contributor to Pelley's movement, [5] but she parted ways with him over his developing political extremism. Claiming to receive divine revelations through automatic writing on her typewriter, Ogden toured the country lecturing and gathering followers. [6]

While on her lecture tour in Boise, Idaho, Ogden announced a revelation directing her to establish a religious colony dedicated to "the truth". [7] She returned to New Jersey with no idea of a location for the project, but was convinced it must be in a wilderness area far from city life. Ogden explained that she had received "a description and a mental picture of the place and knew it was on virgin soil, far removed from city life," as well as in the "intermountain country." [4] Through friends she learned of available land in San Juan County, Utah, and after visiting the area she made up her mind. She claimed that the location of their commune matched her vision. [4] A group of 21 disciples, [8] mostly from the Boise area, followed her to Dry Valley in southeastern Utah in September 1933. [6] Intending to start a collective farm, the group first tried to buy some irrigated ranch land on Indian Creek, but they could not pay the asking price. Ogden offered the owner membership in the colony and a guarantee of eternal life, but to no avail. [7] They settled on a tract of barren desert near Church Rock the site, according to Ogden, of Christ's Second Coming and began to build the Home of Truth. [8]

The Home of Truth was constructed in three sections spread a few miles apart from east to west. The Outer Portal was made up of several buildings, including a communal house and dormitory. The Middle Portal, largest of the three, [3] was planned to include a chapel made of cobblestones, [9] although the foundation was never finished. [10] The Inner Portal contained barracks and six houses. [9] Marie Ogden taught that the Inner Portal, where she lived with her daughter Roberta, [3] was located on the exact center of the Earth's axis, and that only those who lived here would be spared the coming calamities of the last days. [6] There were at least 23 buildings scattered throughout Home of Truth, most with simple exteriors of unpainted board and batten or tar paper shingles. [11]

Colony life

Residents agreed to a strict code of conduct. They surrendered all personal possessions to the group, which provided food, clothing, and shelter. [9] The rules also forbade consumption of alcohol and tobacco. [7] Although the colony raised chickens in the beginning, eating any meat except fish was later prohibited. Ogden even said they must stop planting gardens, but they were still permitted to hire out as laborers to local farmers. [10] Ogden received instructions for the settlement through her typewriter as well as in revelatory trips to the top of nearby Shay Mountain. [9] She taught from the Aquarian Gospel and other theosophical works. [10] Her doctrines included reincarnation, communication with the dead, and asceticism. It is said that she claimed to be the reincarnated Virgin Mary, identifying other group members as reincarnations of Brigham Young and the prophet Nathan. However, this was only reported by newspapers and never verified by credible sources from within the commune. [4] Ogden also handled the colony's financial matters. [7] In 1934, she purchased the local newspaper, the San Juan Record, made herself editor, [3] and added a column in which she promoted her metaphysical ideas. [6] In her first column of “Metaphysical Truths”, printed May 24, 1934, she describes metaphysics as "that division of philosophy which relates to the science of being and to the hidden, or unseen things, which pertain to our spiritual rather than our material, or physical being which we KNOW because we are more conscious of the physical senses we have allowed to predominate. It also embraces that which tells you how the Universe came to being, what composes the Universe, and how life started to manifest on it. As one writer states: 'It's the science of exploring the Universe outside of the Finite.'" [12] Additionally, a column called the “Dry Valley News” gave a summary of the goings-on at Home of Truth. She also used the press to print pamphlets about her beliefs to distribute. [4]

All group members were expected to work in common for the settlement. The women did domestic chores, while the men worked the farm [11] and did some prospecting for gold, on a small scale and without much success. [10] Water was scarce, but they installed a windmill-driven water pump and concrete cisterns for irrigating their fields. Members constructed the buildings themselves. There was no electricity or indoor plumbing, consistent with their belief in material simplicity. [7] They also made their own furniture and household goods by hand, [2] supplemented by Ogden's occasional shopping trips to Monticello. [3] Despite this spartan existence, the colony continually added new members, the population growing to around 100 at its height in 19345. [8]

Raising the dead

In the beginning, the sect's mostly Mormon neighbors took little notice of the newcomers, generally tolerant of their unorthodox beliefs. Then on February 11, 1935, a member of the group named Edith Peshak died of cancer. She and her husband had joined in search of a promised spiritual cure for her disease. [10] Marie Ogden claimed that Peshak was in a state of "purification" and could soon be brought back to life. On April 4, 1935, her newspaper column included a section entitled "The Rebirth of a Soul", which detailed Ogden's conversations with the dead woman and her beliefs about raising her from the dead. Ogden still had the corpse, which was being washed three times a day in a salt solution [6] and "fed" milk and eggs by injection. [3] Rumors spread through the Monticello area, and at last the county sheriff came to Home of Truth in June 1935 to investigate the stories. [10] The authorities found Peshak's body well preserved. They decided to allow the colony to keep it, as they determined it was no health threat, and since a number of people in the area had old Indian mummies found in dry caves. [7]

Decline and closure

Over the next two years, as the press continued to publish sensationalized accounts of the events depicting the Home of Truth as a dangerous cult, [3] more than half of the colonists left, disillusioned. In February 1937, Marie Ogden made another announcement that Edith Peshak was about to be restored to life. The investigators returned, insisting that a death certificate must be signed. Ogden continued to claim the woman was not actually dead. [6] After being arrested, [9] Ogden consented to sign the certificate on May 4, 1937, but the authorities still could not find the body. [13] Finally, a former member came forward and confessed to having helped her cremate the corpse shortly after the original investigation, [6] in August 1935. [13] All but seven of Ogden's remaining followers abandoned Home of Truth. [10]

Aftermath

Inner Portal buildings Home of Truth, Utah Inner Portal.jpeg
Inner Portal buildings

Left nearly alone, Marie Ogden continued to support herself by publishing the newspaper and by teaching piano lessons to the children of Monticello. [3] In 1949, Ogden sold The San Juan Record. [4] She eventually moved into the San Juan Nursing Home in Blanding, where she died in 1975. [14] The Home of Truth property was privately sold in the 1970s to prevent the government from seizing it to pay for Ogden's care. Her personal papers and guest register were destroyed just before the sale. [13] A few of her followers continued to live at Home of Truth [6] until September 30, 1977, when the new owners sold the remaining contents of the Inner Portal at auction. [11] All three Portals still held locked, dusty buildings, maintained by a caretaker and surrounded by "No Trespassing" signs. [9]

As of 2008 there is nothing left of the Outer Portal, but buildings still stand at the other two. The property owner has worked to preserve the Inner Portal, [3] and has announced plans to allow public tours once the site is restored. [13] Both remaining Portals are fenced off from the road, and a sign reading "Marie's Place" hangs over the gate to the Inner Portal, on a ridge just north of State Route 211. A small cemetery holds five graves. [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Juan County, Utah</span> County in Utah, United States

San Juan County is a county in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Utah. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 14,518. Its county seat is Monticello, while its most populous city is Blanding. The Utah State Legislature named the county for the San Juan River, itself named by Spanish explorers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart</span> 2002 child abduction case in the U.S.

Elizabeth Ann Smart was kidnapped at age fourteen on June 5, 2002, by Brian Mitchell from her home in the Federal Heights neighborhood of Salt Lake City, Utah. She was held captive by Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee, on the outskirts of Salt Lake City, and later, in San Diego County, California. Her captivity lasted approximately nine months before she was discovered in Sandy, Utah, approximately 18 miles (29 km) from her home.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monticello, Utah</span> City in Utah, United States

Monticello is a city located in San Juan County, Utah, United States and is the county seat. It is the second most populous city in San Juan County, with a population of 1,972 at the 2010 census. The Monticello area was settled in July 1887 by pioneers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Monticello, named in honor of Thomas Jefferson's estate, became the county seat in 1895 and was incorporated as a city in 1910.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Betty Field</span> American actress (1916–1973)

Betty Field was an American film and stage actress.

<i>A Course in Miracles</i> 1976 book by Helen Schucman

A Course in Miracles is a 1976 book by Helen Schucman. The underlying premise is that the greatest "miracle" is the act of simply gaining a full "awareness of love's presence" in a person's life. Schucman said that the book had been dictated to her, word for word, via a process of "inner dictation" from Jesus Christ. The book is considered to have borrowed from New Age movement writings.

The Latter Day Church of Christ (LDCC) or Davis County Cooperative Society (DCCS) is a Mormon fundamentalist denomination within the Latter Day Saint movement. The DCCS was established in 1935 by Elden Kingston, son of Charles W. Kingston, and in 1977 members of the DCCS organized the Latter Day Church of Christ. Media outlets often refer to the organization as the Kingston Group, and internally it is known as "the Order" or "the Co-op".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marie Windsor</span> American actress (1919–2000)

Marie Windsor was an American actress known for her femme fatale characters in the classic film noir features Force of Evil, The Narrow Margin and The Killing. Windsor's height created problems for her in scenes with all but the tallest actors. She was the female lead in so many B movies that she became dubbed the "Queen" of the genre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KUEN</span> Educational TV station in Ogden, Utah

KUEN, known as UEN-TV, is an educational television station licensed to Ogden, Utah, United States, serving Salt Lake City and the state of Utah. The station is owned by the Utah Board of Higher Education and part of the Utah Education Network (UEN), which provides connectivity services to the state's K-12 and higher education systems. KUEN's studios are located at the Eccles Broadcast Center on the University of Utah campus; its transmitter is located at Farnsworth Peak in the Oquirrh Mountains, southwest of Salt Lake City, and is extended by dozens of broadcast translators across the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manti–La Sal National Forest</span>

The Manti–La Sal National Forest covers more than 1.2 million acres (4,900 km2) and is located in the central and southeastern parts of the U.S. state of Utah and the extreme western part of Colorado. The forest is headquartered in Price, with ranger district offices in Price, Ferron, Ephraim, Moab and Monticello. The maximum elevation is Mount Peale in the La Sal Mountains, reaching 12,721 feet (3,877 m) above sea level. The La Sal Mountains are the second highest mountain range in Utah after the Uintas. Parts of the forest are included in the Bears Ears National Monument.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church Rock (Utah)</span>

Church Rock is a solitary column of sandstone in southern Utah along the eastern side of U.S. Route 191, near the entrance to the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Utah State Route 211</span> State highway in San Juan County, Utah, U.S.

State Route 211 is a state route in Utah that is an access road for Newspaper Rock State Historic Monument and the Needles district of Canyonlands National Park. The entire length of the highway has been designated the Indian Creek Corridor Scenic Byway.

Affirmative prayer is a form of prayer or a metaphysical technique that is focused on a positive outcome rather than a negative situation. For instance, a person who is experiencing some form of illness would focus the prayer on the desired state of perfect health and affirm this desired intention "as if already happened" rather than identifying the illness and then asking God for help to eliminate it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oscar W. McConkie</span> American politician (1887–1966)

Oscar Walter McConkie was a Utah State Senator and leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was the father of Bruce R. McConkie, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the LDS Church. A second son, Oscar W. McConkie, Jr., was a member of the Utah State Senate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cedar Mesa Sandstone</span>

Cedar Mesa Sandstone is a sandstone member of the Cutler Formation, found in southeast Utah, southwest Colorado, northwest New Mexico, and northeast Arizona.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane McKechnie Walton</span>

Jane McKechnie Walton was a Scottish-born Mormon pioneer who helped to settle several Utah towns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kathleen Hart Bibb</span> American concert singer and voice teacher

Kathleen Palmer Hart Bibb Foster was an American concert singer and voice teacher. She was also the model for the character "Julia Ray" in the popular Betsy-Tacy book series, written by her younger sister.

This is a timeline of LGBT Mormon history in the first half of the 20th century, part of a series of timelines consisting of events, publications, and speeches about LGBTQ+ individuals, topics around sexual orientation and gender minorities, and the community of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Although the historical record is often scarce, evidence points to queer individuals having existed in the Mormon community since its beginnings. However, top LDS leaders only started regularly addressing queer topics in public in the late 1950s. Since 1970, the LDS Church has had at least one official publication or speech from a high-ranking leader referencing LGBT topics every year, and a greater number of LGBT Mormon and former Mormon individuals have received media coverage.

The state of Utah has an increasingly diverse population, home to hundreds of thousands of Hispanic/Latino people who share ancestry from Latin American countries. It is estimated that there are roughly 383,400 residents of Hispanic/Latino descent currently living in Utah.

References

  1. "Burials Database". Utah State History. Utah Department of Community and Culture. Archived from the original on July 19, 2011. Retrieved March 18, 2008.
  2. 1 2 Lavender, David (1977) [1943]. One Man's West (3rd ed.). Lincoln, Nebraska: Bison Books. pp.  161–164. ISBN   0-8032-0908-8.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Jensen, Buckley (April 30, 2008). "Giants of San Juan: Marie Margaret Snyder Ogden". San Juan Record. p. 3. Retrieved February 13, 2009.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Campbell, Joel Jay. "Finding a Home of Truth in Utah's Unforgiving Land The story of Marie M. Ogden and her metaphysical world". Academia.edu. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
  5. House Committee on Un-American Activities (1940). Investigation of un-American propaganda activities in the United States, Volume 12. United States Government Printing Office. pp.  7274–7275. Retrieved May 17, 2009.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Reese, W. Paul (April 1995). "Marie Ogden Led Spiritual Group in San Juan County". History Blazer. Retrieved March 18, 2008.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Pierson, Lloyd (April–May 2000). "The Home of Truth". The Canyon Country Zephyr. pp. 20–21. Retrieved March 18, 2008.
  8. 1 2 3 McPherson, Robert S. (January 1995). A History of San Juan County: In the Palm of Time (PDF). Utah Centennial County History Series. Salt Lake City, Utah: Utah State Historical Society. pp. 308–309. ISBN   0-913738-01-8 . Retrieved July 16, 2012.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Thompson, George A. (November 1982). Some Dreams Die: Utah's Ghost Towns and Lost Treasures. Salt Lake City: Dream Garden Press. pp. 84–85. ISBN   0-942688-01-5.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Stegner, Wallace (December 1, 1981) [1942]. Mormon Country (2nd ed.). Lincoln, Nebraska: Bison Books. pp. 331–343. ISBN   0-8032-4129-1.
  11. 1 2 3 Pierson, Lloyd M. (Summer 1994). "When 'Truth' found a Home in Southeastern Utah". Canyon Legacy (21): 19–23. ISSN   0897-3423.
  12. Ogden, Marie M. (May 24, 1934). "Metaphysical Truths". San Juan Record. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Smith, Christopher (June 13, 1993). "Desert Compound's Resurrection Reopens Utah Cult's Bizarre Story". The Salt Lake Tribune . p. A1.
  14. Van Cott, John W. (1990). Utah Place Names. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press. p. 191. ISBN   0-87480-345-4.
  15. "Cemetery Database". Utah State History. Utah Department of Community and Culture. Archived from the original on July 18, 2010. Retrieved October 20, 2009.

Further reading

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Home of Truth, Utah at Wikimedia Commons