PRESTON – Myrna Fuller, the Director of Local History at the Larsen-Sant Library in Preston, published a book of all the historical sites in Franklin County. The publication is named Monuments, Markers and Points of Interest in Franklin County.
With a limited budget and time it took Fuller some time to complete the publication.
“Most of my projects take a year because I only work 16 hours a month,” she said. “The process includes research and site visits, writing, typing, editing, photoshopping, and page layout.”
The whole product came from the library, and it is usually printed at the Preston Citizen a local printer.
“When we’re on vacation, or driving around the state, my husband (Steve) would like to stop at every historical marker or monument we passed,” Fuller said. “I know sometimes people would like to stop but just don’t have time.”
So, she came up with the idea to print a booklet that would fit in the glove compartment of a car, something people would enjoy.
“It was meant to be a driving book, but it’s also a short history of the county,” she said. “I visited every site and took my own pictures.”
She knew it wouldn’t be a book that not everyone would want, but she thought people of the county might enjoy having it as they drive around the 668 square miles of Franklin County.
“The first run sold out. I think we started with 50,” Fuller said. “We have reprinted a few since then. We run more at the library as requests come in.”
Most of them sold at the Franklin Relic Hall for two or three summers. She thought the books were bought mostly by families with ties to the area.
“I didn’t grow up here so I’m not connected to the local history by heritage,” she said. “But it has become personal to me over the years as I have worked at my job at the library. It’s just interesting. I think the massacre site, the whole Shoshone story, and the stories of bravery of our medal of honor winners are special if I had to choose.”
She started by cataloging the Daughters of The Utah Pioneer Monuments in Franklin County, then Preston High School students did the next update. Fuller did one more update after those two updates.
“Alexis Beckstead, the volunteer chairman for the non-profit Oneida Stake Academy Foundation and the President of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers in Preston, has updated the DUP Monuments in a hard-bound Snapfish edition,” she said. “In the library version, I expanded it to include state and national educational sites like the Massacre and Franklin, the first settlement in Idaho.”
Besides the DUP markers she included all of the state highway markers, plus points of interest in the county including military monuments. There are also four monuments dedicated to individuals that were put up by private parties: Samuel Cowley, Matthew Cowley, Harold B. Lee, and Lynn Fackrell.
“The complete text and photographs of the markers, plus directions to the site are included and it specifies if there is a pull-out or not,” she said. “The book is organized by areas.”
The book was originally published by the Larsen Sant Library in 2011-12 and 2021-2022. They have a few copies and can print more by request.
Laura Wheatley, the Director of the Larsen Sant Library, said when the book was first published it was pretty popular.
“Proceeds from the sale of the book go to the library,” Wheatley said. “It isn’t a lot, but every little bit helps.”
The book cost $5 and can be purchased at the Larsen Sant Library located at 109 S. 1st E. Preston, ID. For more information, call the library at (208) 852-0175.