Forever Dixie

Forever Dixie. . St. George Town Square is central to the story of education in Utah's Dixie-a nickname, a term of endearment and identity - so named because Washington County was considered ideal for growing cotton and other warm-weather crops. Town Square was anchored by the Dixie Academy Building on the SE corner and Woodward School which opened its doors on the NW corner in 1901. After their arrival in 1861, St. George pioneers were still in temporary quarters on the Encampment Mall where their first school was held in a tent. Within two years, there were four neighborhood schools, later replaced by Woodward School, a two-story stone building for grades 1-10. In time, Woodward became a junior high school drawing students in grades 7-10 from nearby feeder schools. Before Dixie Academy was permanently established and graduated its first class in 1911, high school students attended St. George Stake Academy in the basement of the St. George Tabernacle. Later the academy became a 2-year college but also retained its high school standing for those in grades 11-12. To address the needs of students, additional buildings, since razed, were constructed. In 1933, Dixie Junior College became a state school and in 1963 moved to the 700 East campus, to become Dixie State College in 2000, then Dixie State University in 2012. The Dixie Academy building was also known as Dixie Normal College and housed Dixie High School until 1966. , The 2024 monument restoration was a "service above self" project of the Rotary Club of St. George and the City of St. George with funds generously donated by alumni and friends of Dixie College.