NEWS

Developer of Historic Mormon site wrestles with county zoning ordinances
Hamilton Advocate
http://www.northwestmissouri.com
Mike Riggs is putting a lot of faith in the future of Caldwell County and the promise of Mormon tourism. He and his wife, Marjorie, are selling their restaurant and two motels in Kansas so they can preserve the only known structure that survives from the early period of Mormon history.
But as Mike greets an average of 40 visitors a day who trek over a mile and a half of gravel road past Mirabile to get to the log house that archaeology students helped uncover, he worries that all his efforts may reach a roadblock. The roadblock is called county zoning and the past few months the ordinances originally designed to allow Caldwell County to control undesirable developments and plan for its growth have stymied what Riggs says could be an opportunity for economic development and tourism dollars.
The saga began in 1995 when members of the Missouri Mormon Frontier Foundation were on a field trip in Caldwell County led by Riggs to visit early Mormon settlement sites. One of the sites was known to have been settled by the Charles C. Rich family (Rich later became an LDS Apostle) and was owned by Junior and Judy Gardner. During the visit, Riggs noticed an old structure that appeared to have an exposed log showing through peeling clapboard siding.
For the next three years MMFF members and volunteers took part in a dig to uncover the history of the site. Led by archaeologist Paul DeBarthe and by Riggs as historian, the investigation determined that the structure was built by Rich and his father, Joseph, in April of 1837. It was later modified by James Wallace who came to the property sometime before 1844 and later deeded part of his land to the state for a state park (Wallace State Park).
In February of 2002, the Riggs' bought the 60 acre site from the Gardners and established the Missouri Institute for Cultural Historical Archaeological Experiential Learning (MICHAEL) LLC.
The couple has plans to develop the site further and restore the log cabin. Meanwhile, they're raising money for their efforts by selling pamphlets, t-shirts, and books on Mormon history. They want to sell soft drinks and sandwiches and open a gift shop. In fact, the Riggs' have already moved in a 1920 era building that was used by the Gardner family as a wash house and they want to use the structure as a gift shop.
That may not be possible due to county zoning ordinances. The land the Rich log home is on is zoned agricultural and the approved list of uses for A-1 land is limited. The county zoning laws do permit conditional use permits for historical sites and related business operations in residential areas, but not agricultural ones. "As if a historical site could materialize in only residential districts and not an agricultural one," fumes Riggs, claiming that the omission must be an oversight.
In February, Mike Riggs approached the zoning commission with a proposal to resolve the snafu. He thought it would be in time to not have an impact on the tourist season. He said he received assurances that the problem would not be a hindrance to his operations, so he began restoring a gift shop. "To my surprise, in May I was told the zoning committee had rejected my proposal and that if I opened the gift shop, I would be in violation of zoning ordinances and subject to fines of $100 a day and that a court order would be sought to have the structure removed from my property," writes Riggs in a paper he presented to county commissioners on Monday.
Zoning Officer Joe Kipp had suggested to Riggs that he go around the zoning problem by running it as a home based business, but Riggs found that limits him to hiring only four employees. Plus, he doesn't have a home built on the property and can't yet afford to do so. Right now, he has a travel trailer set up at the site and plans to spend most of the winter months with his family in Kansas.
Riggs asked the commission to call a meeting of the county board of adjustments to consider a short term solution of designating the gift shop building as a hope. To do that, he needs a variance allowing him to use only one-third of the house as living quarters (current law limits the square footage occupied by the business to 25 percent in a home-based business).
The planning and zoning board meets this Thursday and the board of adjustment may meet at the same time to take up the Riggs' plight. Meanwhile, an application they submitted to have the log home listed on the National Register received a "positive finding" on June 13 and Riggs said he expects to be receiving official notification soon.
"This property is not going to become a hog farm, a landfill, a prison or a smokestack. It will be a sales tax generating historic site which will be enjoyed by tourists and local people interested in the history of Caldwell County," concludes Riggs.

Historic LDS cabin in Far West being restored
Sat, May 10, 2003
By Antone Clark
Standard-Examiner correspondent
KINGSTON, Mo. -- The only building remaining from a key part of LDS history in the state of Missouri is being restored. Ironically, the project is being headed up by a non-Mormon.
Historian Michael Riggs is restoring a cabin that once belonged to Charles C. Rich near the former city of Far West. Riggs hopes to develop the site as a tourist and historical attraction.
"Recently, when asked why I was interested in Mormon history, I replied to a Utah guest, "don't you find your history fascinating? I certainly do," " Riggs said.
The cabin is located approximately five miles south of the Far West temple site.
The plan is to erect a modern log building over the top of the remaining elements of the cabin in order to preserve it as an archaeological site.
Riggs estimates that it will cost $75,000 to complete his project.
The log cabin was discovered in 1995 by members of the Missouri Mormon Frontier Foundation, a group of historians from the LDS and RLDS (now Community of Christ) Church.
After LDS members left Caldwell County in the winter of 1839-1840 most of the homes were either razed or destroyed. There is little physical evidence of there ever being a city in the region. The Rich cabin is the only home of hundreds that once dotted the region.
Junior and Judy Gardner of Mirabile, Mo., had owned the property and asked for Riggs" assistance in selling it to an appropriate party. After months of no success, Riggs and his wife purchased the property, even though they had not intended to do so initially.
Riggs" interest in history extends beyond the bounds of LDS history in Missouri to include many areas of 19th century American Religious History, but he bought the cabin and property "to save it from oblivion."
Since the purchase, he has been working to restore the cabin and to try and develop it as an appropriate historical site.
Far West was the headquarters of the LDS Church for almost three years. The city was destroyed after members fled persecution to Illinois, where they stayed until eventually coming to Utah. Rich served as an apostle for the church from 1848 until the time of his death in 1883.
More details on the project and historical site are available at www.FarWestHistory.com.
2001 Web Site General Excellence Award, Utah Press Association
Copyright ©2003, Ogden Publishing Corporation
Story link: http://www.standard.net/standard/news/print_story.html?sid=00030509191551457666

Clark Family Donates To Rich Project
SALT LAKE CITY – The Ezra T. Clark Family Organization has formally donated to a project in the area of Far West Missouri sacred to members of the LDS Church, especially members of the greater Clark family.   
The organization voted unanimously at its April meeting to contribute funds towards the restoration of the former Charles C. Rich cabin, located just south of the former city of Far West in Caldwell County, Missouri. The cabin is owned by Michael Riggs.   
The cabin is the only Mormon structure remaining from that early history of the church in northern Missouri.  Rich, who became an apostle, had links to the Clark family dating back to Tazwell County, Illinois.     
It was through the Clark family that Rich first became acquainted with the LDS Church in Illinois and it was Rich and his missionary companion, Morris Phelps, who later returned to northern Illinois and baptized members of the Timothy Baldwin Clark family.  Phelps married Laura Clark, a daughter to TB Clark and a sister to Ezra T. Clark.  Laura Phelps and her sister, Rhoda Cooper, were the first members of the greater Clark family to join the LDS Church in 1831.  Their parents and other family members joined in 1835.   
The Clark family relocated from Illinois to Missouri in 1835 and lived close to their former Illinois neighbor when persecution drove the Saints from Clay County to Caldwell County in 1836-7.  Some records indicate that the Timothy Baldwin Clark family was a member of the “Rich Branch”, which was directed by Bro. Rich.   
The two families maintained ties the remainder of their lives.  Before his death, Charles C. Rich was visited by Edward Barrett Clark, one of Ezra T. Clark’s children, who thanked Clark for the friendship the family had extended to him throughout his life.   
There are currently believed to be over 10,000 descendants of the Ezra T. Clark family.  

Historic Preservation Fund Established for C.C. Rich Log Home in Missouri
Rich Family Association Release, 27 February 2003
    The Charles C. Rich Family Association is pleased to announce the creation of a special Historic Preservation Fund to substantially support the effort to save the Rich Log House in Caldwell County, Missouri. In 1995, local history advocate group in the Kansas City area known as the Missouri Mormon Frontier Foundation (MMFF) discovered the remains of a log house located in what was once the heart of the Rich Settlement on Log Creek, five miles south of Far West in Caldwell. MMFF sponsored four years of intensive archeological digs at the site and was able to show conclusively that the building dated to the Mormon period.
    Combined with geographical and documentary historical research, it has been determined that the log house was constructed by Charles C. Rich and his father Joseph in the early spring of 1837. As if this find was not exciting enough, consider that this is also the only remaining Mormon era structure from the Far West Period. Along with serving as the President of the High Priest Quorum for the Far West area, Charles C. Rich also presided over the local LDS Church unit known as the "Rich Branch." Today, Charles is most remembered in the Far West period, for the active military actions he took culminating in the Crooked River battle in Northern Ray County.
    Former MMFF board member, Michael S. Riggs and his wife, purchased the Log House property in February 2002 and they hope to raise the necessary funds to cover and preserve the remaining portion of the structure. This effort is conservatively estimated to cost $75,000 and involves covering the old log building with a new, modern log structure as shown here:
    More on this plan along with lots of other interesting information about the site and other Caldwell County, Missouri LDS history can be found at www.FarWestHistory.com. Admission to the site is free and we highly encourage you to visit this very significant place in Rich family/LDS Church history.
    Rich Family members and friends are invited to send their tax-deductible donations to:

The Charles C. Rich Family Association
c/o: Melodee Peshell
1595 Monaco Ave.
Salt Lake City, UT 84121

    Please designate your contribution as intended for the "Historic Preservation Fund."

Announcing MICHAEL, L.L.C.
Mirabile, Caldwell County, Missouri, 1 October 2002
    In 1837, Mormon Converts from Tazwell, County, Illinois, including later LDS Apostle Charles C. Rich immigrated to Caldwell, County Missouri and settled in an area four to five miles south of the then Mormon capital city of Far West (near the present day town of Mirabile). Log homes were built, a school established and crops planted within the settlement simply called, "the Rich Branch."
      The only known building remaining from this early period of Mormon history resides on land once enveloped by the Rich Branch, in present day Mirabile, Missouri. In 1996, members of the Missouri Mormon Frontier Foundation (MMFF) where on a field trip in Caldwell County led by Michael Riggs to visit various early LDS settlement sites. When the group reached an area long known to be within the Rich Branch, Riggs noticed an old structure through the trees that appeared to have an exposed log showing through peeling clapboard siding. Upon closer examination it was verified that the building had once been a log house that was later modified. "It wasn't until it began to fall down that we could tell it was significant," said Riggs. The owners of the property (Jr. and Judy Gardner) were sought out and permission was obtained to conduct an archeological investigation of the site.
      For the next three years, MMFF members and volunteers (many of which were students at Shawnee Mission East High School and Johnson County Community College) were led by Archeologist Paul DeBarthe and Project Historian Michael S. Riggs in a comprehensive dig to uncover the history of the site. At the conclusion, findings determined with a high degree of confidence that the structure was a Mormon era log home built on the site and later modified by the James Wallace family (of Wallace State Park fame) who came onto the property sometime before 1844.
      In February of this year, Michael and Marjorie Riggs purchased the 60 acre site from the Gardners and established the Missouri Institute for Cultural-Historical-Archeological Experiential Learning, L.L.C., (MICHAEL). Help is urgently needed to preserve the log house from further deterioration and financial contributions are encouraged. Visitors are now welcome to come see what life would have been like for these early settlers on the early American western frontier. Admission is free. T-shirts and other unique items are for sale on site to help defray expenses and preserve the log house.
      Traveling north out of Kansas City on I-35 take exit number 40 (MO hwy 116). Turn right on hwy 116 heading east 8 miles towards County road "D" (the same one that goes to Far West). Make a left onto "D" and go north 4.8 miles to Mirabile, Missouri. Look for our sign and make a left (west) on Broadway (a good gravel road) and proceed 1/2 mile to a dead-end T intersection (S.W. Duroc Dr.) and turn left (going south). We are located 7/10 of a mile at the end of the road. Please see our web-site at www.FarWestHistory.com for details on site visit scheduling and contact information.

Clark Family Donates To Rich Project
SALT LAKE CITY– 1 May 2003
The Ezra T. Clark Family Organization has formally donated to a project in the area of Far West Missouri sacred to members of the LDS Church, especially members of the greater Clark family.
    The organization voted unanimously at its April meeting to contribute funds towards the restoration of the former Charles C. Rich cabin, located just south of the former city of Far West in Caldwell County, Missouri. The cabin is owned by Michael Riggs.
    The cabin is the only Mormon structure remaining from that early history of the church in northern Missouri. Rich, who became an apostle, had links to the Clark family dating back to Tazwell County, Illinois.
    It was through the Clark family that Rich first became acquainted with the LDS Church in Illinois and it was Rich and his missionary companion, Morris Phelps, who later returned to northern Illinois and baptized members of the Timothy Baldwin Clark family. Phelps married Laura Clark, a daughter to TB Clark and a sister to Ezra T. Clark. Laura Phelps and her sister, Rhoda Cooper, were the first members of the greater Clark family to join the LDS Church in 1831. Their parents and other family members joined in 1835.
    The Clark family relocated from Illinois to Missouri in 1835 and lived close to their former Illinois neighbor when persecution drove the Saints from Clay County to Caldwell County in 1836-1837. Some records indicate that the Timothy Baldwin Clark family was a member of the “Rich Branch”, which was directed by Bro. Rich.
    The two families maintained ties the remainder of their lives. Before his death, Charles C. Rich was visited by Edward Barrett Clark, one of Ezra T. Clark's children, who thanked Clark for the friendship the family had extended to him throughout his life.
    There are currently believed to be over 10,000 descendants of the Ezra T. Clark family.

TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS
CAN NOW BY MADE FOR THE LOG HOME PRESERVATION PROJECT THROUGH MMFF
Press Release, Independence, Missouri, February 11, 2003
      Two significant actions were taken by the Missouri Mormon Frontier Foundation (MMFF) at their February board of directors meeting, held at the LDS Visitor's Center in Independence, Missouri… both should significantly benefit major initiatives now underway at the Missouri Institute for Cultural-Historical-Archaeological Experiential Learning (MICHAEL), L.L.C. The first resolution passed was a loan of equipment MMFF had been using for archaeological activities to MICHAEL, L.L.C., in an effort to support ongoing work in Northwestern Missouri. MMFF board members are hopeful that the groundwork they established of conducting annual archaeological investigations since 1996 can be continued through MICHAEL, L.L.C. Given the potential resources, including the base of operations at its sixty-acre headquarters in Mirabile, Caldwell County, Missouri, MICHAEL, L.L.C., represents the best hope of continuity in this endeavor. Michael S. Riggs, Director of MICHAEL, L.L.C., is currently attempting to secure general liability insurance in order to hold these archaeological summer camps. (Please watch this page for updates and schedule for the 2003 Camp as more information becomes available).

      In a second move towards aiding the efforts of MICHAEL, L.L.C., in its other current major goal i.e.: its mission to save the Charles C. and Joseph Rich log home, the MMFF board of directors has agreed to designate a new “Rich Log Home Preservation Fund.” Donors can now gain the benefit of making tax-deductible contributions through MMFF for this cause. Funds distributed from this account will be made directly to vendors engaged in specific tasks needed to complete the overall Rich Log home preservation project. Donations should be sent to:

MMFF RICH LOG HOME PRESERVATION FUND
P.O. Box 3186
Independence, MO 64055
      In response to the board actions, MICHAEL, L.L.C., Director, Michael S. Riggs stated, “the MMFF board of directors clearly wants to send a message to the larger historical community in support of what we are doing here at MICHAEL, L.L.C., and I whole heartily thank them for these constructive gestures on our behalf.”

November 18, 2002
      The Missouri Institute for Cultural-Historical-Archeological Experiential Learning, L.L.C., (MICHAEL), is pleased to announce the reception of a generous donation from the Charles C. Rich Family Association in the amount of $1,000.00. The money has been earmarked for use in preservation of the log house structure located in what was once the Rich Branch in early LDS Church history (1837-1838). In addition to funding this Winter's temporary canvass tarp covering over the log house, the remaining portion will be applied towards an important grant proposal currently being written.
      Our plan is to construct a substantial modern log building over the historical structure as a preservation solution. We have contacted Robert Flanders about consulting to have the site nominated for registration on the National list of Historic places. This cost is estimated to be $3,000.00. Kuhns Bros. Log Homes Inc. of Concordia, Missouri has agreed to discount their full priced bid of $72,800.00 down to $41,000.00 for a 34' by 40' log home kit ready to construct and delivered to our site (see architectural drawings below). With the added costs of pouring a concrete footing/foundation, labor for assembly of the kit, electrical/lighting and security system, our grant writer, Jennifer McLin, is seeking a $75,000.00 opportunity (through grants and private donations) to complete the project. Hopefully, the log house will be secured permanently by Spring 2003.
      Additional vital private donations can be sent to:
MICHAEL, L.L.C.
3500 S.W. Duroc Dr.
Kingston, MO 64650