Two hundred and fifty years ago, as the United States of America was born, the So-So-Goi people were busy gathering sustenance from the forests, hills and valleys of Franklin County.

On Aug. 1, their descendants, now known as the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation, will share their culture with the public at the Oneida Stake Academy Foundation’s Heritage Days. They will set up a small village on the lawn at 90 E. Oneida, Preston.

Shoshone drummers, dancers, craftsmen, cooks, historians and linguists will freely share their culture from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to all who attend.

“The history of our community is more extensive than the era in which the Oneida Stake Academy building was constructed and includes more than pioneers. What a joy it is to have the Shoshone share their history and culture with us during OSA Heritage Days,” said Alexis Beckstead, chairman of the Oneida Stake Academy Foundation.

Brad Parry, vice chairman of the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone, has said “there are footprints in this land that are 12,000 years old,” referring to those of his ancestors.

The OSA Heritage Day will actually begin the morning before (July 31), when the public is invited to help set up a tipi at 9 a.m. on the lawn at 90 E. Oneida, Preston.

Then on Aug. 1, the cultural fair will begin.

One of the things the Shoshone and the OSAF hope to highlight during this event is the historical interactions between their Shoshone ancestors, and the early pioneer settlers of the area.

“We know of many friendships that developed between the two cultures. We hope that people will share with us the stories their ancestors shared with our ancestors,” said Parry. “We have begun collecting these experiences, which have enriched our understanding tremendously. We hope to expand that knowledge on the OSA Heritage Day on Aug. 1.”

A few years ago, the tribe conducted a story-sharing afternoon in Benson Park, where local residents brought such stories to light.

One woman shared an experience in which her husband’s ancestor, Sarah Wright, was saved from a snake bite by Bear Hunter and his expectant wife. For many days, using herbs growing near the Franklin Fort, the couple treated the little girl. The experience grew into a long-lasting friendship between the two families. When Sara’s father heard that troops were on their way to administer justice for the death of some miners north of Preston, he pled with Bear Hunter to leave and avoid any problems. He didn’t.

Bear Hunter was one of the victims of the Bear River Massacre in 1863.

“We would love to see more stories brought forth,” said Parry.

“In a time when there is so much division between races and cultures, we hope to focus on the many instances of individuals who were able to see commonalities and express compassion instead of differences,” said Amy Bosworth, board member of the OSAF.

Also available at the event will be information on local native plants used by the Shoshone for food, clothing, housing and medicine. A coloring book written and illustrated by Rios Pacheco, shows the uses of these plants by their ancestors. Pacheco is the cultural analyst and spiritual leader of the NWB of the Shoshone Tribe.

Many of these plants have been reintroduced to the land surrounding the site of the Bear River Massacre in 1863. The NWBSN is working with a variety of organizations to restore this land to its native state since they purchased it in 2018.

An approximate schedule of events follows:

July 31:

9 a.m.: Set up tipis — volunteers invited to participate.

Aug. 1:

10 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Village open for Shoshone crafts, story sharing, cultural displays/activities and language arts.

Drummers and dancers on the hour throughout the afternoon.

Also open at the OSA grounds from 10 a.m. 5 p.m. on Aug. 1, will be an OSA Trading Post, sponsored by the OSAF.

Another part of the event will be a booth sponsored by the Franklin County Historical Society and Preston Family History Center in which visitors can find ancestors who lived during the Revolutionary War era. The service is offered for free as part of the America250 experience.