JMM 815 - CAPSTONE PROJECT

Story and Photography by Alizée Chaudey, “Saint Jeff’s Twin Cities”

Video and Podcast by Constantine Waltz, “A Tale of Two Towns”

Saint Jeffs Twin Cities

by Alizée Chaudey

Collectively known as Short Creek, the twin cities of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona sit at the bottom of the Canaan Mountain’s vermillion cliffs. Tucked away along the Arizona strip, from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to Zion’s peaks, this isolated wedge of backcountry is protected on all fronts by formidable natural barriers. But despite being in Zion National Park’s backyard, the Creek doesn’t get many tourists— the twin cities are overwhelmingly known for their sinister past of polygamy, cult, incest, and pedophilia.

Since their return to Short Creek after escaping the FLDS cult, survivors and apostates like Margaret Cooke, Terrill Musser, and Leona Bateman have been pushing to rebuild and better their community in the hopes of transforming the twin cities into a place of acceptance and healing.

A Tale Of Two Towns

by Constantine Waltz

This podcast explores the history of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) and the lives of three former FLDS members who left the cult and their community behind.

Now, they have come back to reclaim the community that was left broken by Warren Jeffs.