A team of archaeology students, from Michigan Technological University, are chipping away at Parowan history as they hope to unearth the story of Mormon settlers that brought their crafts and skills to Southern Utah.
"The preservation here and the opportunity for study is absolutely profound," says Professor Tim Scarlett of Michigan Technological University.
Parowan is getting some historic praise, something the team archeological students think residents should dig.
"It belongs to the community, it belongs to the people in the community, it is their history," says Michigan Tech student, Jessica Montcalm.
Jessica Montcalm is one of a team of students working to uncover what may be the oldest pottery kiln studied in Utah. Under the direction of Professor Tim Scarlett, the group is working to reveal parts of Thomas and Sarah Davenport's pottery shop from 1852.
"We're looking at the way that the Davenport family imported what they knew from the pottery fields in Britain and the industry there, and adapted it to working with the materials they found in Southern Utah," says Montcalm.
It's a task these researchers are finding to be easier than originally thought.
"It's surpassing our wildest hopes, we knew the area was well preserved, but we had no idea," says Professor Tim Scarlett.
Professor Tim Scarlett says by day eight of digging students unearthed an arc of bricks believed to be one of the Davenport's kilns.
"He was really happy, but wee had to be careful, because if we had just been pulling those bricks out the whole thing would have been ruined," says undergrad student Samantha Foss.
But with a lot of patience, enthusiasm and motivation, "It's very slow, very methodical, and a lot of paperwork, "says Foss.
Okay and historic documentation, the team thinks they will be able to dust off the decade long process in which these English settlers molded their working skills to suit them in Southern Utah.
"They were making beautiful things. We're hoping to model that skill of learning and how they figured it out."
A journey, that no doubt, helps piece together a lasting part of Parowan history.
Dr. Scarlett also says, "We've already learned enough that we can begin designing a replica pot shop to go at the Iron Mission Museum."
The dig is open to the public whenever archaeologists are on site. Visitors are welcome between 10am and 3pm on June 5-14 and June 18-26. For more information visit the digging team's website, http://utahpotteryproject.blogspot.com.