Land of the Sky-blue Water: A history of the L.D.S. settlement of the Bear Lake Valley

Russell R Rich

• Publisher: Bonhopai Books
• Year: 2025
• eBook ISBN: 9781779793300
• Edition: 0
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Social Science Biographies
• Index: Social Sciences

Land of the Sky-Blue Water by Russell R. Rich is a detailed and heartfelt history of the Latter-day Saint settlement of the Bear Lake Valley, a rugged region straddling the Utah–Idaho border. Combining meticulous research with a deep respect for the pioneers who built communities in this challenging landscape, Rich offers both a chronicle of local history and a broader reflection on faith, endurance, and community building in the American West.

The book explores the initial Mormon colonization of Bear Lake Valley in the mid-19th century, when families braved harsh winters, isolation, and the trials of frontier living to establish permanent settlements. Rich traces the founding of towns, the building of churches and schools, the struggles with environment and economy, and the spirit of cooperation that bound the settlers together. Drawing on diaries, church records, and oral histories, he preserves the stories of ordinary men and women whose sacrifices shaped the region.

While focusing on Bear Lake Valley, Rich situates its history within the larger saga of Mormon colonization, highlighting how faith inspired resilience in the face of formidable obstacles. The narrative balances factual detail with a reverence for the spiritual convictions that guided the settlers, making it both a regional history and a testament to community spirit.

 Land of the Sky-Blue Water   remains an important work for readers interested in Mormon history, Western settlement, and the enduring legacy of faith-driven communities in America's frontier. 

Table of contents

• Title page
• TABLE OF CONTENTS
• DEDICATION
• ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
• ILLUSTRATIONS AND PHOTOGRAPHS
• CHAPTER I — INTRODUCTION
• CHAPTER II — EARLY BEAR LAKE VALLEY
• CHAPTER III — EXPLORATION AND SETTLEMENT
• CHAPTER IV — CIVILIZATION BEGINS TO BLOSSOM
• CHAPTER V — PIONEERS AND INDIANS
• CHAPTER VI — SETTLEMENT PROBLEMS
• CHAPTER VII — TWO SOCIAL CONTROLS OF THE LATTER-DAY SAINT CHURCH IN THE BEAR LAKE VALLEY
• CHAPTER VIII — BEAR LAKE INDUSTRY UNDER THE UNITED ORDER
• CHAPTER IX — GOVERNMENT, CIVIL AND CHURCH
• CHAPTER X — POLYGAMY AND POLITICAL FRANCHISE
• CHAPTER XI — THE TABERNACLE AND ACADEMY
• CHAPTER XII — FOLKLORE—THE BEAR LAKE MONSTER
• CHAPTER XIII — CONCLUSION
• APPENDIX A — Letter of Brigham Young to Thomas L. Smith
• APPENDIX B — The Pioneers of the Bear Lake Valley in 1863
• APPENDIX C
• APPENDIX D
• APPENDIX E — The Case of N. F. Austin versus J. M. Phelps
• SELECTED REFERENCES