Lehi, Mesa

Lehi is a distinct community within Mesa, Arizona, which predates Mesa's own founding. Lehi was annexed into its much larger former neighbor in 1970, and is now the northern limit of central Mesa.

Lehi is adjacent to the Salt River on the north, the Consolidated Canal to the south, and a portion of Arizona State Route 202 runs through the area.[1] It also borders the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, and has a long history with it.

Properties of note include the Old Lehi School, which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in August 2001, and is currently the home of the Mesa Historical Museum.[2][3]

History

Lehi was settled by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, under the direction of Daniel W. Jones. Jones had been commissioned by Brigham Young to start a Mormon colony within the Salt River Valley of the Arizona Territory.[4] The settlement party left the Utah Territory from St. George, and arrived at the site in March 1877. Jones' invitation to local Native Americans to live with them became a point of controversy, and half of the initial colony left, moving on to found St. David, Arizona.[5]

Lehi was initially known as Jonesville and Fort Utah; it did not receive the name of Lehi until 1883 when LDS Apostle Brigham Young, Jr. recommended renaming the settlement after the prophet Lehi from the Book of Mormon.[6]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ "City of Mesa - Sub-Area and Neighborhood Area Plans". Mesaaz.gov. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
  2. ↑ "History of the Mesa Historical Museum". Mesa Historical Museum. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
  3. ↑ Walsh, Jim (15 November 2010). "Historic status for Lehi still in exploratory stage". Arizona Republic.
  4. ↑ Walsh, Jim (7 October 2010). "A roving monument, a proud history". Arizona Republic.
  5. ↑ "Mesa History - Lehi Settlement and Fort Utah". Mesalibrary.org. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
  6. ↑ Jenson, Andrew. Encyclopedic History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret News Press, 1941, p. 426

External links

Coordinates: 33°27′32″N 111°48′49″W / 33.45889°N 111.81361°W / 33.45889; -111.81361


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