That's the message delivered Thursday to the Utah Board of State History, which considered whether the 45-mile canyon outside of Wellington should be added to the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district.

And, while several members of the board voiced support for the idea, the board's role is limited. It is up to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to make a formal request to the National Register, and it's not clear if or when that might happen.

“After all of these years, it deserves to go down in history as part of our heritage,” said Pam Miller, chairwoman of the Nine Mile Canyon Coalition, which is seeking the historic area designation along with the BLM.

National Register designation for Nine Mile Canyon would make the area eligible for grants and other funding that could be used for preservation of the prehistoric petroglyphs, pictographs, artifacts and buildings that are scattered throughout the redrock landscape.

It also would require government agencies to offer an added level of attention when development is proposed in the area, but it would not hinder or limit oil and gas extraction, said proponents.

The designation proposal has been in various stages of completion for more than 30 years. Most recently, BLM and the Nine Mile Canyon Coalition have pushed forward with the required application.

One private landowner has objected. But the eight others affected, including two energy companies, have not. Duchesne and Carbon counties oppose it, saying the area already is protected through other laws, and energy companies would face more regulation if it's listed.

Members of the history board described the area as “absolutely unique and a fabulous resource for the region and the nation” and “significant.”

“This will be a wonderful laboratory for many years into the future,” said board member Gregory C. Thompson.

fahys@sltrib.com