Iosepa

Iosepa is an abandoned settlement in Skull Valley in Tooele County, Utah, founded by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Today, it remains primarily as a cemetery with weathered headstones, a 1989 memorial featuring a Polynesian warrior figure, and a solitary fire hydrant as silent witnesses to this former community.

The settlement was founded in 1889 when the first group of Hawaiian Mormons arrived on August 28, and the land was dedicated by church President Wilford Woodruff. By 1915, the population had grown to about 228 residents, but after 1917 most inhabitants left to move to a church plantation on Oahu.

The name Iosepa comes from Hawaiian and honors Joseph Smith, the church founder, and Joseph F. Smith, a missionary to Hawaii. The settlement served as a place where Hawaiian Mormons could keep their language and traditions alive while serving their faith community.

The site is easily reachable by car and offers a quiet place to learn about history. Visitors can walk during the day, view the graves, and reflect, with the cemetery grounds remaining accessible and open year-round.

Every day in May, descendants of the settlers return for a memorial gathering, bringing traditional Hawaiian food, music, and lei. This annual reunion keeps family ties and connection to the past alive, even though the community was abandoned more than 100 years ago.