EXHIBITS
I Remember When . . . : Memories and Moments in Mendon, Utah: Childhood Memories and Growing Up in Mendon
Childhood Memories and Growing Up in Mendon
Many say that growing up in Mendon was an idyllic childhood. Parents never worried about their children playing outside because they knew everyone, not just those on their street but in the entire town. The sense of community and small-town atmosphere attracted people to Mendon. Everyone knew everyone and everyone worked together. Many residents talk about the freedom to ride their bicycle up and down the street, the joy of playing games with friends, and how, if they got into trouble, they could expect any adult to scold them.
I loved riding my bike down to my Great Grandma Odie Muir’s house to visit and eat treats. My Great Grandmother Odie Muir was our family’s rock. She lived to be 95 years old, outliving her husband, and her children. She used to watch all of her great grandkids into her 80’s. She was quick with a joke and a smile, and offered to leg wrestle my cousin Brad 1 week before she died. —Kevin Muir
It feels like home. When I was young and would get into trouble, my mother already knew what I had done before I got home. The gossip and information network in Mendon made it impossible for anything to be a secret. That made it easy to be honest because everyone already knew the truth. You always had people to love and take care of you. The people of Mendon were the epitome of “it takes a village”. Kids knew that they could be called to task by any adult and then you would be in trouble with everyone! —Shara Swan
Winters playing in the snow.... Sledding on the flexible flyer. Ice skating on the ice pad at the square. —Kelly Barrett
I am from the Sorensen line of Mendon founders. All of my relatives were characters. My grandfather was Fred Sorensen and he was a Mendon icon. He was bishop [of the Church of Jesus Christ] when the red brick church was built. My Grandma Hazel was famous for her peanut brittle that she made and shared at Christmas. She was a fantastic cook and was always cooking to help others. She also cooked when she was worried or upset. She loved babies and would squeal with delight when she could hold them. Both of them stared in the Mendon made movie, “The Wellsville Kid” or “Who shot the hole in Lem Earl’s britches”. I love that I have that legacy. It truly captured their personality and I feel close to them when I watch it. —Shara Swan
Residents of Mendon starred in the short films Who Shot the Hole through Lem Earl’s Britches? or The Wellsville Kid Met His Waterloo in Mendon, which made fun of the rivalry between Mendon and Wellsville since their founding in the mid-1800s. These films show what Mendon looked like in the 1970s and some of the personalities of the town. The women who acted in The Wellsville Kid Met His Waterloo in Mendon were Odie Muir, Hazel Muir Sorenson, and Opal Copen Larsen. They were known for calling each other throughout the day to catch up on news. A scene in the short film shows this trait by having them call each other to share news.
Richard Watkins cast members from the community and donated a copy of both films to the USU Special Collections & Archives. On July 24, 2015, the films were reintroduced to the community during the Pioneer Day celebrations. Mr. Watkins had the films transferred to DVD format and sold them as a fundraiser for the Mendon Library. The videos below show the opening credits and first scene of the movie Who Shot the Hole through Lem Earl’s Britches.