The Short Creek Raid

From Glenn Ohrlin.  I think he wrote it.
Tune: When the Work's All Done This Fall

In the good old town of Short Creek in the year of '53
Lived a group of peaceful families as happy as could be
By the practice of polygamy they served their Master's cause
Way out in Arizona they bothered no one at all

The Colorado River formed their refuge and retreat 
And cut them off from Kingman, which was their county seat
They lived in isolation, their patriarchal lives, 
Each elder with his cattle, his horses and his wives.

They tended their own business, just like the saints of old,
Not dreaming that the whole world their story would be told.
One day there came a stranger who thought that they were fools
She was the superintendent of Mojave County schools.

When she returned to Kingman this message she brought back
All eighth-grade girls are married to a man named Uncle Jack
I found this out while up their inspecting of the schools
Those people up in Short Creek are breaking all our rules

Some men have many families, I'm sorry to relate,
Some have six or seven, and others they have eight
I must tell you she babbled of all the thing she saw
We cannot let this happen, we must call in the law

Oh how the news did travel, oh how the news did fly,
They notified the sheriff, state police and FBI.
They notified reporters when all their plans were laid
Saying, boys, were going to Short Creek to make a mighty raid

But they couldn't get to Short Creek across Grand Canyon's gorge 
They went on into Utah and traveled through St. George
And headed south through Hurricane till Short Creek they did spy
Nestled where vermilion cliffs are reaching to the sky

Was there a posse gathered a little ways from town
Till someone gave the signal and they all came swooping down
They drove on into Short Creek according to the plan
Gathered up the wives and children and arrested every man

Without a moment's warning they landed up in jail
They had to contact lawyers, they had to raise their bail
The papers grabbed the story about the Short Creek band
And details of their troubles were broadcast o'er the land

Next came legal battles and dickerings, we know,
But the upshot of the story, they had to let them go
Some left the state forever and started out to roam
Others said that Short Creek would always be their home

The years have passed and Short Creek no longer bears that name
The new one I won't tell you if it is just the same
Now my stories over, I've nothing more to say, 
Many thanks for listening and now I'm on my way


The new name is blown now too because there was a reprise of this recently.

Beth Conover spent a summer's internship near there and says it's true
about the beautiful vermilion cliffs.