Rocky Mountain Carnival, 1889
Minerva Anderson
In July of 1890, Ogden held a unique event, a huge Mardi Gras celebration. The carnival was the grand idea of William Hope Harvey, a real estate promoter. Hoping to bring in developers, he organized the Order of Monte Cristo, a local Mardi Gras association that arranged for the Royal Host of New Orleans to attend the summer carnival.
King Rex and his entourage arrived on a special train from New Orleans July 1 and were greeted by thousands of Ogdenites. A queen and prince royal were selected from Ogden’s citizens, and the queen was attended by two pages from New Orleans and Miss Marie Harvey of Ogden. The group was welcomed with a 100 gun salute and parade. The masked prince was named King Rex II at the opening gala, his identity to remain hidden until the last day of reign.
Controversy arose on July 4, when a delegation met with King Rex at Mayor Kiesel’s home, demanding to know the identity of the Rex II and declaring that if he was a Mormon, armed men were ready to kill him on the spot. At first the masked king refused to back down as he had been chosen for the honor, but he was finally persuaded to abdicate the throne.
Over 10,000 people crowded onto 25th Street for the final event and the unmasking of Rex II. Three armed men stood in front of the throne, ready to shoot, but Major J. Henry Behan, director of the carnival, was revealed to be the king; local Minerva Anderson was also unmasked as the queen. The three armed men left without a fight, unaware that snipers from the Louisiana Rifles were ready to shoot if the men had drawn their guns. Newspapers later ran the story that Mormon John Q. Cannon was supposed to have been the prince.
After five days of theatrics, tournaments, and balls, the carnival ended. While there had been much excitement, the carnival ultimately failed to recoup expenses, and several creditors sued Harvey for damages. It was the only time such a Mardi Gras celebration was held in Ogden.
John Q Cannon