Iosepa - Ghost Town

       We drove to Iosepa Ghost Town today.  The settlement where Mormon Hawaiians who left their beautiful Hawaii to come to Utah to settle.  They stayed and had a beautiful town with 5000 acres, but when the building of the Hawaii temple was determined they went back to the Island to help build the temple, which left Iosepa a Ghost Town.  On Memorial Day they still have a Luau to remember the pioneers of the Hawaiian Islands, who left their homeland and created a beautiful city in the Utah desert.         

The Hawaiian side of Lani's Family, the Kelekomas, joined the church when Joseph F. Smith served his mission there, as well as the families who came to Iosepa.  We walked through the cemetery but we did not find any Kelekomas...        This was a fire hydrant left from the original city.  Iosepa was named the best kept city in Utah during it's hayday, beating all other cities including Salt Lake City and Provo.  The lots were 3/4 acres and they had an irrigation system with working fire hydrants.  They manicured the area and for the desert it was beautiful.  

Above is the area where the original town would have been.  The tree below was a little to the North, but showed the beautiful view of the Skull Valley.  Above is the road into Iosepa.  Below is the road between Saratoga and Skull Valley, can you guess where Lani's been....       I am so grateful for a Father in Heaven who created each and everyone of us.  The Polynesian People are so loving and have a great big place in my heart.  I have learned so much from the culture and from my wonderful Polynesian Hawaiian family....