MPNHA partnerships support nearly $448K in Sanpete County projects during 2026

The Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area (MPNHA) helped advance 10 community projects throughout Sanpete County during fiscal year 2026, including work at the Cleone Peterson Eccles Equestrian Center in Mt. Pleasant, historic building restoration, recreational trail development and improvements to community landmarks.

During the fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, MPNHA provided more than $143,000 in federal funding for projects across the county.

Those grants were accompanied by more than $303,000 in matching contributions from project partners, brought total investment to nearly $448,000.

MPNHA Director Monte Bona said the organization's approach relies on cooperation with local governments, nonprofit organizations and community partners, allowing relatively small federal investments to help move larger projects forward.

"We put seed money," Bona said. “That can then be leveraged by these communities to find more from other funding sources. ”

Rather than allocating funds across to the six counties in the heritage area according to predetermined county quotas, Bona says the MPNHA evaluates project requests based on their merits and potential impact.

Its local partners identify needs, develop proposals and pursue additional resources, while MPNHA provides initial grants and assists with finding additional financial support.

According to Bona, one of the most significant accomplishments of fiscal year 2026 was the completion of MPNHA's involvement in the multiyear expansion of the Cleone Peterson Eccles Equestrian Center in Mt. Pleasant.

The project has been an ongoing priority for the heritage area, with MPNHA contributing more than $150,000 toward improvements over several years. Although the final fiscal year 2026 contribution represented a relatively small portion of that amount, Bona emphasized the significance of bringing the undertaking to completion.

"As of fiscal year 2026, it’s fully completed" Bona said. “A lot of work went into that.”

The latest expansion includes a new outdoor arena covering approximately 5 acres, with seating for about 800 spectators. The arena is the latest major addition to the roughly 100-acre equestrian center, which has developed through partnerships involving MPNHA, the Mt. Pleasant Community Development and Redevelopment Agency, among other funding organizations.

Bona estimated the Cleone Peterson Eccles Equestrian Center now represents an overall value of approximately $6 million. He particularly credited the George S. and Dolores Dore’ Eccles Foundation for its continuing financial support.

"That foundation has been especially good to us," Bona said.

The additional arena creates opportunities for more and bigger equestrian events and other activities. Bona said the arena was designed with the possibility of eventually adding approximately 2,000 more seats.

However, Bona emphasized that decisions about the location of activities such as the Hub City Days rodeo belong to the city's governing body, not MPNHA.

"That's not our decision," Bona said.

With MPNHA's current expansion project complete, the Cleone Peterson Eccles Equestrian Center stands as an example of how sustained cooperation among public agencies, private foundations and local partners can support major community investments over several years.

Historic preservation and downtown revitalization also received considerable attention during the fiscal year, and downtown Mt. Pleasant City is one of the areas that benefitted.

Bona says these efforts are made possible in part by funding from the MPNHA to the Mt. Pleasant Main Street Program, which then works with the Utah Main Street program to support restoration and revitalization along Main Street.

One of the main ways the Main Street has been upgraded has been Revive and Reside grants, which help owners of historic buildings rehabilitate vacant or underutilized interior spaces.

Four downtown buildings benefitted from Revive and Reside grants during FY2026— the former Ericksen’s Grocery building, the historic North Sanpete Bank Building, the Go Insurance building and the Triangle Apartments.

Another Mt. Pleasant project involved continued improvements at Railroad Park, where MPNHA supported work on the historic railroad depot and water tower during fiscal year 2026.

The park and surrounding area features a historic depot, water tower, caboose and vintage diesel locomotive, along with nearby railroad cars converted into guest accommodations.

In Manti, the heritage area contributed to interior renovations at the Manti Senior Citizens Center. MPNHA also provided funding for the proposed Manti Veterans Memorial. Bona said the contribution was intended to help organizers secure additional grant funding for the project, which is still ongoing.

Gunnison's historic Casino Star Theatre also benefited from MPNHA assistance with funding supporting work on the theater marquee.

Preservation work extended to smaller historical structures as well. In Spring City, MPNHA supported renovations to the local Daughters of Utah Pioneers cabin. A similar project in Ephraim involves restoration work at an historic cabin in Pioneer Park.

Recreation improvements represented another important component of the year's funding. MPNHA supported Sanpete Trails, which continues work on trails in the county's canyon areas. A separate project in Spring City involves plans for a 1-acre trail park near the existing trail connecting Mt. Pleasant and Spring City.

The MPNHA spans across six Utah counties: Sanpete, Sevier, Piute, Wayne, Garfield and Kane. Bona said the heritage area's executive board includes representatives from the six counties it serves.

Congress established the national heritage area to help preserve and interpret the region's pioneer history while supporting economic development, cultural preservation, recreation and community enhancement.

The MPNHA management plan, prepared shortly after Congress established the heritage area, identifies the organization’s work as encompassing historic structures, museums, theaters, trails, recreational facilities and other projects that strengthen local communities and preserve their distinctive heritage.

"We're a grassroots organization," Bona said.

By utilizing volunteers whenever possible, he says, the MPNHA has been able to keep its staff to a minimal, which makes more total annual budget available for funding community projects.

Through partnerships with cities, county government, nonprofit organizations and private supporters, Bona says, the MPNHA aims to help preserve historic resources, expand recreational opportunities and support facilities that serve residents today while providing benefits for future generations.