Cedar City in Iron County, Utah — The American Mountains (Southwest)

The Utah Parks Company

Photographed By Jeremy Snow, January 31, 2024

1. The Utah Parks Company Marker

Inscription.

The Utah Parks Company. . , For nearly fifty years (1923-1972) the Utah Parks Company (UPC) brought visitors from around the world to the national parks and monuments of southwestern Utah and northern Arizona. Cedar City marketed itself as the "Gateway to the National Parks" and became the jumping off point for the UPC tour groups and the hundreds of thousands of individuals who wanted to experience the majestic beauty of the area. The UPC, a subsidiary of Union Pacific Railroad operated as concessionaires in the parks. They built, maintained, and staffed lodges, inns, cabins, restaurants, and the Hotel El Escalante, a grand hotel in Cedar City. All of this activity created the tourist infrastructure that exists to this day. The "Grand Circle" Tour took the visitors, affectionately called "dudes" by bus to sites previously only seen in motion pictures and magazines. Zion National Park, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon National Park, Cedar Breaks National Monument, and the Kaibab Forest supplied breathtaking scenery for these travelers. , As the starting point for travelers on the UPC tours, Union Pacific invested heavily in Cedar City and marketed the town as if it were one of its own holdings. The railroad emphasized the fact this area of the country possessed unparalleled scenic splendor" and although it had a very talented publicity department, they could not do justice to the environment individuals must see the parks for themselves., Over the course of its nearly fifty years, the UPC employed over 40,000 individuals, mostly young college students anxious to cover their tuition bills and have a little summer fun. A large number of Utahans worked for the UPC and became ambassadors for the natural wonders of the State. The story of the people of the Utah Parks Company highlights the importance of this organization in the development of tourism in Utah in the early and mid-twentieth-century., Dedicated Monday, June 19, 2023 , by Cedar City Historic Preservation Commission , Visit Cedar City Brian Head

For nearly fifty years (1923-1972) the Utah Parks Company (UPC) brought visitors from around the world to the national parks and monuments of southwestern Utah and northern Arizona. Cedar City marketed itself as the "Gateway to the National Parks" and became the jumping off point for the UPC tour groups and the hundreds of thousands of individuals who wanted to experience the majestic beauty of the area. The UPC, a subsidiary of Union Pacific Railroad operated as concessionaires in the parks. They built, maintained, and staffed lodges, inns, cabins, restaurants, and the Hotel El Escalante, a grand hotel in Cedar City. All of this activity created the tourist infrastructure that exists to this day. The "Grand Circle" Tour took the visitors, affectionately called "dudes" by bus to sites previously only seen in motion pictures and magazines. Zion National Park, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon National Park, Cedar Breaks National Monument, and the Kaibab Forest supplied breathtaking scenery for these travelers.

As the starting point for travelers on the UPC tours, Union Pacific invested heavily in Cedar City and marketed the town as if it were one of its own holdings. The railroad emphasized the fact this area of the country possessed unparalleled scenic splendor" and although it had a very talented publicity

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department, they could not do justice to the environment individuals must see the parks for themselves.

Over the course of its nearly fifty years, the UPC employed over 40,000 individuals, mostly young college students anxious to cover their tuition bills and have a little summer fun. A large number of Utahans worked for the UPC and became ambassadors for the natural wonders of the State. The story of the people of the Utah Parks Company highlights the importance of this organization in the development of tourism in Utah in the early and mid-twentieth-century.

Dedicated Monday, June 19, 2023
by Cedar City Historic Preservation Commission
Visit Cedar City * Brian Head

Erected 2023 by Cedar City Historic Preservation Commission.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1923.

Location. 37° 40.843′ N, 113° 3.717′ W. Marker is in Cedar City, Utah, in Iron County. Marker is on Main Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 199 N Main Street, Cedar City UT 84720, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. El Escalante Hotel (here, next to this marker); Heroine of China (within shouting distance of this marker); Cedar City Railroad Depot

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(about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Pioneer Stockman (about 600 feet away); Bank of Southern Utah (approx. 0.2 miles away); Richard Harrison (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Cedar's Hotel (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Southern Paiute People (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cedar City.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 6, 2024. It was originally submitted on February 1, 2024, by Jeremy Snow of Cedar City, Utah. This page has been viewed 45 times since then. Photo 1. submitted on February 1, 2024, by Jeremy Snow of Cedar City, Utah. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.

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