Washington in Washington County, Utah — The American Mountains (Southwest)
“Utah’s Dixie” Washington City
Photographed By Dawn Bowen, June 22, 2007
1. "Utah's Dixie" Washington City Founded 1857 Marker
Founded 1857. This monument is erected in honor and memory of the founders of Washington City. The settlers who arrived 1857 were sent here by Brigham Young, president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for the purpose of growing cotton to clothe Mormon pioneers and to colonize the territory. Those early pioneers named their city on May 5 or 6, 1857 in honor of George Washington and also called the area “Dixie” in rememberence of their former homes in the South.
Living in the arid desert proved extremely difficult. Reoccuring challenges such as malaria (egue or chills and fever), the lack of food, poor water and other diseases disabled and disseminated the setters.
The Virgin River, providing water to irrigate fields, was crucial to the settlers. However, frequent flash floods washed out the dams built to divert the water from the river to the fields. This resulted in stavation and undue hardship. It took the pioneers thirty-four years to conquer the mightly “Rio Virgin” doing so with the completion of the Washington Fields Dam in 1891.
(List of settlers
this page online
Erected 1994 by Washington City Historical Society.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1857.
Location. 37° 7.825′ N, 113° 30.528′ W. Marker is in Washington, Utah, in Washington County. Marker is on East Telegraph Road, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 50 East Telegraph Rd, Washington UT 84780, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Utah’s Dixie Birthplace, Washington City (here, next to this marker); The Granary (here, next to this marker); Prominent Pioneer Men and Women Who Helped Settle Washington City (within shouting distance of this marker); Thomas W. Smith's Corn Cracker & Grist Millstone (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Relief Society Hall (about 700 feet away); ZCMI Co-op Building (about 700 feet away); Adair Spring (approx. 0.2 miles away); Washington City 1857 (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Washington.
Photographed By Bill Kirchner, August 28, 2012
2. “Utah’s Dixie” Washington City Marker
Photographed By Bill Kirchner, August 28, 2012
3. “Utah’s Dixie” Washington City Marker
Photographed By Dawn Bowen, June 22, 2007
4. Additonal names of settlers
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on June 25, 2007, by Dawn Bowen of Fredericksburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,218 times since then and 34 times this year. Last updated on September 9, 2012, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. Photos: 1. submitted on June 25, 2007, by Dawn Bowen of Fredericksburg, Virginia. 2, 3. submitted on September 9, 2012, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. 4. submitted on June 25, 2007, by Dawn Bowen of Fredericksburg, Virginia. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.
