St. George in Washington County, Utah — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Black Ridge and Sugarloaf

Photographed by Jeremy Snow, February 23, 2025

1. Black Ridge and Sugarloaf Marker

Inscription.
"Our D on the hillside so bold / Cherished emblem of them all / Remember and never forgetting / We'll answer to the call."- From the Dixie College Song, by A.K. Hafen

School Spirit
The white "Dixie on the Sugarloaf and the "D" on the Black Ridge have been part of the iconic landscape of St. Gege for over a hundred years. The Sugarloaf was a favorite recreation place for early pioneer families. In 1913 students of St. George Stake Academy painted Dixie across the south side of the red rock bluff, which pioneers called the Sugarloaf. A year later, senior students repainted it with “1914 D” to commemorate their class. Class rivalry led to multiple repaintings of the bluff. At the time the Sugarloaf was on the outskirts of town. In 1920, a new road connected the Sugarloaf to town.

Celebrations
Students celebrated D-Day in 1915 by creating a 100-by-75 foot "D" on the east side of the Black Ridge. Mountain monograms are a common feature in the Intermountain West to celebrate school spirit. Students in class colors celebrated the first Founder's Day with a parade, tug-of-war, races, and a basketball game.

Today, Utah

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Tech University maintains the "D" and Dixie High School preserves "Dixie" on the Sugarloaf as part of the spirit weeks, keeping early traditions of the Academy alive.

For more information visit: utahtech.edu/heritage-cove

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Education. A significant historical year for this entry is 1913.

Location. 37° 6.242′ N, 113° 33.912′ W. Marker is in St. George, Utah, in Washington County. It can be reached from East 300 North. Located in the Heritage Cove just east of the Utah Tech University Gardner Student Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 975 E 300 North, Saint George UT 84770, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Color Country. It is also in the American Southwest,

in the Mountain West,

and on the Colorado Plateau.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Rocky Mountains,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of

Photographed by Jeremy Snow, February 23, 2025

2. Black Ridge and Sugarloaf Marker

this marker: University Growth (here, next to this marker); Struggle to Thrive (here, next to this marker); Poetry and Music (here, next to this marker); Dixie Pioneers (here, next to this marker); The Dixie Spirit (here, next to this marker); Manifest Destiny (a few steps from this marker); First Peoples (a few steps from this marker); Water - Lifeblood of the Desert (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. George.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 28, 2025. It was originally submitted on February 24, 2025, by Jeremy Snow of Cedar City, Utah. This page has been viewed 141 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 24, 2025, by Jeremy Snow of Cedar City, Utah. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.