What Once Was: Forgotten History of Southern Utah

Under Fear’s Spell: Witchcraft and Murder in Southern Utah

The true story of Mary Parker’s murder, the man they said she bewitched, and the fear that haunted Southern Utah. This episode of What Once Was unravels one of Southern Utah’s most chilling frontier murders: the killing of Mary Parker in 1880 just outside of what would later become Zion National Park.  This story covers the rumors of witchcraft that surrounded her, and the trial of the man accused of her death. Through historical newspapers, family records, and Mormon folklore, we explore how fear, faith, and superstition collided in these small desert towns along the Virgin River and impacted the towns of Rockville and Springdale.   🎧 Join the community: → Become a patron: https://patreon.com/whatoncewas [https://patreon.com/WhatOnceWasPodcast?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink] → Follow on Instagram: @whatoncewas.podcast [https://www.instagram.com/whatoncewas.podcast/]   The stories I share are based on old records, newspapers, local legends, and oral histories. While I do my best to tell them truthfully, some details may be lost to time. Please remember—many of the places we mention are on private land. Don’t trespass or go exploring without permission. Let’s keep history alive without disturbing what’s left of it.   Intro music is "A Calm Hellfire" by the Wayward Hearts

Springdale, Utah: From Pioneer Settlement to the Gateway of Zion National Park

Beneath the towering cliffs of Zion National Park, a small farming town learned to survive floods, famine, and tragedies. This episode of What Once Was uncovers the forgotten story of Springdale, Utah—from its early Mormon pioneer settlers and water-powered mills, to its midwives, miracles, and devastating disasters that shaped life along the Virgin River. You’ll hear how a community of farmers and craftsmen became the Gateway to Zion, weathering the floods, the rise and fall of Cable Mountain’s flying lumber, the building of the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel, the arrival of the CCC, and the sacrifices of World War I and II. It’s a story of faith, family, and transformation—where joy became the answer to sorrow, and a canyon became a sanctuary for the world.   🎧 Join the community: → Become a patron: https://patreon.com/whatoncewas [https://patreon.com/WhatOnceWasPodcast?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink] → Follow on Instagram: @whatoncewas.podcast [https://www.instagram.com/whatoncewas.podcast/]   The stories I share are based on old records, newspapers, local legends, and oral histories. While I do my best to tell them truthfully, some details may be lost to time. Please remember—many of the places we mention are on private land. Don’t trespass or go exploring without permission. Let’s keep history alive without disturbing what’s left of it.   Intro music is "A Calm Hellfire" by the Wayward Hearts Banjo Sound Effect by freesound_community [https://pixabay.com/users/freesound_community-46691455/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=65454] from Pixabay [https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=65454]

Rockville, Utah: Utah's Last Treasure | Southern Utah Pioneer History

Rockville, Utah — the town once called “Utah’s Last Treasure.” Founded after the devastating Virgin River flood of 1862, Rockville rose from the mud to become one of Southern Utah’s most beautiful and enduring settlements. From floods and faith healers to bears, telegraph lines, and the rise of Zion National Park next door, this episode uncovers the story of the town that refused to disappear — and the people who built the heart of the Virgin River Valley.   🎧 Join the community: → Become a patron: https://patreon.com/whatoncewas [https://patreon.com/WhatOnceWasPodcast?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink] → Follow on Instagram: @whatoncewas.podcast [https://www.instagram.com/whatoncewas.podcast/]   The stories I share are based on old records, newspapers, local legends, and oral histories. While I do my best to tell them truthfully, some details may be lost to time. Please remember—many of the places we mention are on private land. Don’t trespass or go exploring without permission. Let’s keep history alive without disturbing what’s left of it.   Intro music is "A Calm Hellfire" by the Wayward Hearts Conch shell Sound Effect by freesound_community [https://pixabay.com/users/freesound_community-46691455/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=40917] from Pixabay [https://pixabay.com/sound-effects//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=40917]

Forgotten Settlements of the Virgin River: Southern Utah’s Lost Pioneer Towns

Episode 8 of What Once Was takes you deep into the forgotten history of Southern Utah’s Virgin River settlements. From Duncan’s Retreat to Northrop, and Shonesburg/Shunesburg, we trace the lives of early pioneers who battled floods, isolation, and conflict in the shadow of what is now Zion National Park. You’ll hear stories of Native encounters, love and loss, and communities that rose with hope only to vanish with time. If you’re fascinated by Utah history, Mormon pioneer settlements, or the ghost towns scattered across Southern Utah, this episode brings the past to life through immersive storytelling and real historical accounts. Perfect for history lovers, road-trippers, and anyone curious about the people who carved out lives along the Virgin River.   🎧 Join the community: → Become a patron: https://patreon.com/whatoncewas [https://patreon.com/WhatOnceWasPodcast?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink] → Follow on Instagram: @whatoncewas.podcast [https://www.instagram.com/whatoncewas.podcast/]   The stories I share are based on old records, newspapers, local legends, and oral histories. While I do my best to tell them truthfully, some details may be lost to time. Please remember—many of the places we mention are on private land. Don’t trespass or go exploring without permission. Let’s keep history alive without disturbing what’s left of it.   Intro music is "A Calm Hellfire" by the Wayward Hearts

Grafton: Floods, Faith, and the Ghosts of Utah’s Dixie

Grafton, Utah — today it’s one of the most photographed ghost towns in the West. But in the mid to late 1800s, it was a community clinging to the banks of the Virgin River, where floods, fears and faith tested every family who lived there. From the Marvelous Flood Tenney’s unforgettable birth to the tragedies in the cemetery, to the violence of the Black Hawk War and the final blow of the Hurricane Canal, this episode dives into the stories settlers and their descendants passed down. Alongside them are the Southern Paiute families who were here first — guides, friends, protectors, and sometimes adversaries. This is the story of Grafton: not just a ghost town, but a place where joy, grief, and resilience left a lasting mark on southern Utah history.