The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), established by President Franklin Roosevelt, provided work for young unemployed men during the Great Depression. From 1934 to 1938, small groups of "CCC boys" worked to construct roads, scenic overlooks, a . . . — — Map (db m149127) HM
Established under the Utah Wilderness Act of 1984, which designated 6,750 acres of the Dixie National Forest as the Ashdown Gorge Wilderness. Elevation ranges from 8,000 to 10,400 feet above sea level. The area was formed through faulting and . . . — — Map (db m149125) HM
Imagine standing here on a Saturday night in the early 1920s. You might have heard music, laughter, people dancing, and folks talking about their day's work out on the mountain plateau. The music and voices would have come from a nearby inn known . . . — — Map (db m149126) HM
As tourism grew in the early 1900s, southern Utah quickly gained the attention of the traveling public. The scenic wonders of this area were sometimes too incredible to believe. Capitalizing on this interest, the Union Pacific Railroad established . . . — — Map (db m261544) HM
Just west of here was an adobe brick mill that provided bricks for the homes of Owen, William, Daniel, and Lorenzo Matheson who homesteaded the area, as well as for other homes. The ground was not good for cultivation but had an abundance of adobe . . . — — Map (db m256628) HM
In February 1904, local businessmen became convinced that a strong financial institution was needed in Cedar City and the Bank of Southern Utah was created. By
1925, the bank had proven a valuable asset to the community and this building was . . . — — Map (db m240276) HM
Born in Wrenbury, England, Henry Lunt immigrated to Utah in 1850. He was the first person named to settle Cedar City and was the president of the company of 36 men and 11 wagons that first arrived here on Tuesday, November 11, 1851, in a blinding . . . — — Map (db m149523) HM
The reconstruction of the historic pioneer cemetery wall was completed in August 1994 as a memorial to the stalwart Mormon pioneers who settled this part of the American West and who originally built and dedicated the wall in the year 1886. It was . . . — — Map (db m75618) HM
During the difficult times of the Great Depression, many communities, including Cedar City, sought federal funds for public buildings in hopes of bringing much needed construction jobs to the area. In March of 1931, after great debate, the Cedar . . . — — Map (db m240273) HM
Built in 1923, the Cedar City Railroad Depot is historically significant for its direct association with the railroad and its impact on Cedar City. In addition to stimulating the local iron ore and livestock industries, the railroad connection to . . . — — Map (db m59566) HM
A tabernacle was erected in 1885 on the adjoining corner of Main and Center Streets and was demolished in the spring of 1932. In 1872 Bishop Christopher J. Arthur suggested that this Tabernacle be built to replace the Social Hall.
Mayhew . . . — — Map (db m59540) HM
Cedar City's Iron Heritage
Cedar City's rich deposits of iron ore were first recorded by Spanish explorers Dominguez & Escalante in 1776. In 1850, Mormon leader Brigham Young sent a group of colonists to mine these deposits to provide needed iron . . . — — Map (db m240279) HM
The first ten head of sheep came to Cedar City in 1862 and soon nearly every family in the community acquired a few to produce wool needed to spin clothing for the family. Soon, the local neighborhoods were overwhelmed with the space needed to . . . — — Map (db m289741) HM
In 1866 Louis R. Chaffin, at the request of Apostle Erastus Snow, placed a gristmill in Cedar City. His son, Henry, ran it until 1868 when Louis returned from "The Muddy." Adjoining land was purchased in 1875. Excavation by Alva Matheson proved the . . . — — Map (db m59538) HM
Cinder Cone
The cinder cone developed from a series of continuous mild volcanic explosions piling the debris on the surface surronding a volcanic vent. There are numerous cinder cones on the Cedar City Ranger District, many visible from . . . — — Map (db m68762)
This monument marks the spot where on Sept. 30, 1852 the first iron was manufactured west of the Mississippi River by the Mormon Iron Missionaries sent by Brigham Young.
This 5½ ton ore body was obtained from the iron deposits used by . . . — — Map (db m1288) HM
Shortly after WWI, the forward-looking citizens of Cedar City recognized that
tourism centered around the new national parks and monuments in the area, would be a powerful economic benefit to their rural community. Visitors certainly had . . . — — Map (db m240280) HM
Ellen (Nellie) Purcell was born November 6, 1846 in Tintwhistle, England. At 9 she, with her parents and sister Margaret (Maggie), 14, began the trek from Iowa to Salt Lake Valley in 1856 with the Edward Martin Handcart Company.
Early snows . . . — — Map (db m59517) HM
Father Silvestre Velez de Escalante with Father Dominguez and eight others, first white men to enter the Great Basin, left Santa Fe July 29, 1776 in attempt to reach Monterey. Abandoning attempt, party passed thru Cedar Valley October 12 on return . . . — — Map (db m241635) HM
Iron ore having been discovered at Iron Springs, Brigham Young called missionaries to Iron County to make iron. A militia of 35 men was organized in Parowan, Nov. 5, 1851, under Captain Henry Lunt. Part of the company left Nov. 10th in 11 wagons and . . . — — Map (db m59546) HM
The first school in the Midvalley area was a one-room building on land just west of here donated by Owen Matheson. In 1916 it was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. Students then moved south to William Matheson's adobe brick home, called . . . — — Map (db m256633) HM
In November 1851, thirty-five men from Parowan settled Cedar City. A unique temporary encampment, composed of their wagon boxes and sage brush walls, sheltered them through the first winter. In 1853, a fort 100 rods square was built on this site. . . . — — Map (db m59515) HM
In 1852 Peter Shirts located a ranch on Sidon Creek, later known as Shirts Creek. He offered John Hamilton half the water to come and settle there. Hamilton came with his family and Peter Fife. When Walker Indian War broke out they moved to Cedar . . . — — Map (db m59513) HM
Born and raised in Cedar City, Helen Foster Snow was a journalist, traveler, thinker, and activist who was present during the revolutionary period leading up to the establishment of the People's Republic of China and became a heroine to the people . . . — — Map (db m59565) HM
The disappearance of a Western Air Services Boeing 95 mail plane during an intense snow storm thrust Cedar City, Utah, into the sharp focus of world attention. It was not because such accidents were uncommon, for air crashes were quite common in . . . — — Map (db m74002) HM
Iron County exists because those who lived here developed the resources necessary for survival in this desert climate. The three legacies passed down by early settlers and their descendants — agriculture, mining, and railroads — are . . . — — Map (db m130593) HM
By Carolyn M. Jones and Cathy M. Maxwell
In 1955, Ivan, Lamar, & Evan Matheson put their dairy herds together and built a cinder block dairy barn near Midvalley Road and Minersville Highway. Ivan worked days as a body and fender repairman. . . . — — Map (db m256622) HM
Beginning in 1931, Midvalley students began attending school in Cedar City. At that time, the school bus only came as far as Fiddlers Canyon about five miles away. Owen Matheson and Millard Halterman took turns taking students to meet the bus in . . . — — Map (db m256631) HM
In the early 1900s, several families homesteaded the areas south and west of here: William P. Hunter, Arthur Bryant, Bengt Nelson Jr., Walter Murie, Millard Halterman, Leonard Haight, George Esplin, Joseph Bauer, Carlos Stevens, Ira and John . . . — — Map (db m256629) HM
This building is a replica of the Old Enoch School and the Second Midvalley School. It was built by Owen and Sarah Matheson's descendants. Another replica of 1850s Deseret schools is found at the Joel Hills Johnson Museum at 1198 West Midvalley . . . — — Map (db m256620) HM
It is believed that the first fired bricks in Utah were made in Cedar City in connection with the attempt of the Deseret Iron Company to manufacture iron in 1852. The blast furnace was located in the vicinity of 400 North 100 East. Fired brick was . . . — — Map (db m1381) HM
Established 1868 by Ebenezer Hanks and others who organized the Great Western Iron Manufacturing Co., a cooperative enterprise. Officers were E. Hanks, President, Homer Duncan, Vice President, Seth M. Blair, Secretary. 800 pounds of iron of good . . . — — Map (db m150259) HM
]Just west of here, Enoch residents banded together in 1891-92 to erect a building which would be used as a schoolhouse, community center, and church. It was about 34 feet long and 16 to 20 feet wide. For years theatrical performances,dances, . . . — — Map (db m255931) HM
The city office building was built in 2001 and the library in 2003 on land originally homesteaded by George and Elizabeth Hunter. Between the city office and the library, you can still see ruts from the Old Spanish Trail. Further history of the . . . — — Map (db m256020) HM
Old Main
This monument is dedicated to the selfless sacrifice and hard work of the 1898 citizens of Cedar City. The story of the construction of this unique building is told at the Old Sorrel Monument next to the Centrum. The thirty-five . . . — — Map (db m266837) HM
Maxwell Dairy - By Keith Maxwell:
When I was 10, our family moved to Enoch to run the Maxwell Dairy. Our dairy was rented from Stanford Jones. We milked between 30 and 40 cows. Customers brought their own containers to get milk. Surplus milk . . . — — Map (db m256623) HM
The Page Ranch House was designed by its original owners, Daniel Richey Page and Sophia Geary Page. Construction began in 1898 and was completed in 1900. The builders were Jack and Harvey Fabian of St. George, who made and fired the brick on the . . . — — Map (db m284145) HM
Built in 1895, this is one of the oldest buildings on Main Street.
Originally, there was a curved parapet on the roof which had
been removed by 1932. By 1909, this building become the home of
the Palace Drug Store where you could purchase the . . . — — Map (db m289740) HM
This is the oldest log cabin in Southern Utah. It was built in 1851 in Parowan by George Wood, one of the founders of Iron County, who later moved it to the Old Fort in Cedar City and then to his lot on North Main Street. Through the years it was . . . — — Map (db m239742) HM
To satisfy an urgent need for manufactured iron products, a small group of English, Welch, Scotch, Irish and American pioneers answered a call from Brigham Young to become "Iron Missionaries" to settle Iron County and to make iron. They arrived in . . . — — Map (db m59545) HM
Born in England, Francis Webster traveled to Utah in 1856 and played an important role in the early development of Cedar City. A leader in the sheep industry, he was among the first to begin shipping sheep and wool to the Chicago markets. An early . . . — — Map (db m75620) HM
Born in Springshire, England, and an iron-molder by trade, Richard Harrison served as superintendent of the worlds largest iron foundry, located in Liverpool. He immigrated to Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1843 then on to Utah in 1849. He arrived in Cedar . . . — — Map (db m130595) HM
School Life and the Dairy
By Owen Evan Matheson (1909-1983)
When I was very small, my father and two brothers bought a section of land in Midvalley and went out and built houses by putting up a wood frame and filling in the cracks with . . . — — Map (db m256625) HM
Named after the Catholic Church's St. Joseph, the area across the street east of here was once a lush meadow that became a popular layover for travelers on the Old Spanish Trail. Here pioneers, explorers, and others could rest safely for a few days . . . — — Map (db m255950) HM
The caboose provided the train crew with shelter and working space while they threw switches and inspected for problems such as shifting loads, overheated axle bearings, and dragging equipment. The conductor used the caboose for filling out various . . . — — Map (db m130597) HM
On July 29, 1776, Fathers Francisco Atanasio Dominguez and Silvestre Velez de Escalante led an exploration party of ten horsemen from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to establish an overland route to Monterey, California, while spreading the Catholic faith . . . — — Map (db m59514) HM
In 1904, this building replaced a smaller rooming house and became known as the Cedar's Hotel. The Cedar's had nine rooms on each floor all sharing a common bathroom.
It was in the lobby of the Cedar's that brothers Gronway and Chauncey . . . — — Map (db m240277) HM
There are five plaques across the base of the statue
In the annals of American higher education, there is no more dramatic founding of a school than that accorded Southern Utah University, nor a more striking example of the extent of the . . . — — Map (db m59516) HM
Hay for livestock in a horse-driven society was as important as gasoline or electricity is today. The oldest technology for stacking hay in Iron County was the hay derrick that allowed farmers to build haystacks in their fields.
Hay derricks, . . . — — Map (db m130599) HM
On this site, in 1876, the Cedar Co-operative Mercantile and Manufacturing Institution constructed the Cedar Co-op Mill. It was a large, three-story wooden building. The original two sets of four foot grinding stones were turned by water which was . . . — — Map (db m266831) HM
In the 1930s, iron mining expanded in Iron County and massive shovels were needed to excavate the needed ore. According to company delivery records, two Bucyrus-Erie 120-B shovels were delivered to the Utah Construction Company in Cedar City in . . . — — Map (db m130598) HM
The Cedar City Pioneers had made their homes in the Old Fort and had built an adobe schoolhouse 28 feet by 60 feet when, in May 1855, President Brigham Young advised them to move to higher ground. By 1859, the majority of the people had moved to the . . . — — Map (db m59542) HM
This monument commemorates the enduring strength of the Southern Paiute people and invites harmony among all that live upon or visit their homelands.
Today, the Southern Paiutes are organized in several Federally recognized Tribes (see map), . . . — — Map (db m241703) HM
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 . . . — — Map (db m240282) HM
From 1923 to 1972, the Utah Parks Company (UPC), a subsidiary company of Union Pacific Railroad brought thousands of visitors to southwestern Utah and northern Arizona, Cedar City was the starting point for travelers on the UPC tours; the "Grand . . . — — Map (db m255843) HM
The Third Midvalley School was built on the southwest corner of Midvalley and Bulldog Roads in about 1928. The building had an exposed partial crawlspace where students would hide and play pranks on each other and their teachers. Midvalley students . . . — — Map (db m256632) HM
From 1923 to 1972, the Utah Parks Company (UPC), a subsidiary company of Union Pacific Railroad brought thousands of visitors to southwestern Utah and northern Arizona. Cedar City was the starting point for travelers on the UPC tours; the "Grand . . . — — Map (db m268973) HM
In the sandy ground that is now Pearly Lane south of here, Millard Halterman raised row crops (broccoli, carrots, cabbage, potatoes, etc.) and sold them to Union Pacific Produce to raise money to support the First and Second World War efforts. To . . . — — Map (db m256627) HM
Site of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recreation building known as the Ward Hall. Rushed to completion in the fall of 1897 and deeded to the State of Utah so the Branch Normal School of the University of Utah could be legally . . . — — Map (db m59543) HM
When the railroad came to Cedar City in 1923, the mighty Union Pacific trains brought visitors from across the world to immerse themselves in the scenic wonders
at our doorstep. The entrepreneurial brothers Gronway and Chauncy Parry saw
the . . . — — Map (db m240275) HM
The "Whitey" and Haken Anderson families established a sawmill just west of here in 1949. It operated for over five years. The trees were harvested on Cedar Mountain in the summer, and the sawmill ran during the winter, creating lumber for many . . . — — Map (db m256015) HM
The small whitewashed house just north of here was built by Joseph H. Armstrong in 1881-82. By this time, his family owned Johnson's Fort, and he took down the bastion there and used the adobe brick to build this house. It was also for some years . . . — — Map (db m256018) HM
Sometime soon after a telephone line was strung to the Enoch Mercantile (Marker #8), William Henry Grimshaw wanted a phone in his two-story adobe house, which was the original home here. He could not afford to extend the line, so, ignoring the . . . — — Map (db m256600) HM
This land was originally owned by Sylvester Jones who donated a portion to the LDS Church for a cemetery. When Sylvester's son, Henry, died in World War I in 1918, the church asked Sylvester to pay $50 for a plot. He thought that was unfair and . . . — — Map (db m255951) HM
Several miles west of here is a series of low mountains known as Three Peaks. The peaks were used as a landmark for many years by early settlers. Thus, when Enoch City decided in 2015 to create a new logo, artist Cordelle Morris used the sun . . . — — Map (db m255933) HM
Schoolhouse - The second schoolhouse in Enoch was a two-story structure built on this site in 1917-1918. It was a brick building containing two classrooms, two libraries, two bathrooms and a furnace room. Only one room served as a classroom, and . . . — — Map (db m59568) HM
Across the street to the east is the old Enoch church, built from 1909 to 1911 and dedicated by LDS Apostle Richard R. Lyman on June 28, 1918. Charles Edward Jones was called as the first bishop in Enoch. The church was built at a cost of $6,000 on . . . — — Map (db m255946) HM
The first wagon over the Old Spanish Trail came into Iron County, Utah, May 15, 1848, with
25 Mormon Battalion men returning from California under Captain Henry G. Boyle. Piloted by
Porter Rockwell & James Shaw, they converted the western half of . . . — — Map (db m256021) HM
William Henry (later known as Gramps) and May Hunter Grimshaw began clearing the land in this general area in about 1905. They had seven children who developed this area which later became known as Grimshawville. The land for the park west of here . . . — — Map (db m256614) HM
An Enoch native, Ivan Matheson was a revered public servant, serving in many positions, including 12 years as a Utah State Senator. He was instrumental in legislation supporting and building many projects throughout southern Utah. He was also a . . . — — Map (db m256618) HM
During the summer of 1851, a small company of men was exploring this area and discovered the springs on the bench one-fourth mile to the east. Joel H. Johnson was so impressed with the spot, that he sought and received permission from George A. . . . — — Map (db m59571) HM
In 1853 early settlers built a fort about one-quarter mile west of here for protection. The building was directed by Joel Hills Johnson, the LDS Church presiding elder for this area. It was 165 feet square and made of adobe bricks. More information . . . — — Map (db m255936) HM
This general area was the initial home of the first Anglo to live in Enoch. In November 1851, Joel Hills Johnson built a rough residence of two dugout shelters and moved part of his family here in December. He was a prolific writer of poems and . . . — — Map (db m255932) HM
In 1869, John P. Jones and sons moved from the fort at Johnson Springs and purchased land and springs on the east bench of the community. Jones, who was an iron worker, built a coke oven and blast furnace where scrap iron was melted and molded to . . . — — Map (db m59960) HM
The small park just to the east of here was named for J. Stanford and Helen Jones. On January 10, 1966, Enoch was incorporated as a town, with Stanford Jones as the first chair of the Enoch Town board. The population of the town was 102. On August . . . — — Map (db m256016) HM
The Cedar City Co-op and Livestock Company ran cattle on its pasture north and west of Johnson's Fort until 1898. At that time, the stock-holders sold the land to Collins, Porter, and Edgar Clark and donated many of the proceeds to build a heating . . . — — Map (db m255949) HM
Across the street to the east was the village mercantile building, which sold basic necessities. When the residents desired a post office in 1884, they needed a unique community name. Since they lived under a form of the LDS United Order, or Order . . . — — Map (db m256013) HM
A log school building served as a church until 1911. A new brick church was
erected (1909-1910) at a cost of $6,000. It was dedicated on June 28, 1918 by
Richard R. Lyman. School was held in the basement rooms of this building until a
new brick . . . — — Map (db m256594) HM
Long before European explorers and LDS pioneers arrived in this valley, it was inhabited by members of the Southern Paiute Tribe. The low, treeless knoll north of here was a site of Paiute Tribe powwows. The powwows started well before Johnson's . . . — — Map (db m256616) HM
This fence was built by George D Grimshaw from rings used to hold together wooden water pipes. He collected the bands when the pipes were changed to metal by the Southern Utah Power Company where he worked. A similar fence was built at the Enoch . . . — — Map (db m256598) HM
The shallow lake five miles north of here was a popular recreational area for valley residents where families enjoyed dances, boat rides, mule rides, ice skating, and vacations. It also was an exchange station hosting freighters, mail carriers, and . . . — — Map (db m256617) HM
Samuel Bell built a house on this site in the 1860s. It burned down in the 1930s and was replaced by the house you see here now. Bell was one of the first permanent settlers at Johnson's Spring and was the first schoolmaster in the old logschool . . . — — Map (db m255930) HM
The Charles Maxwell, Walter Murie, David Bulloch, and Bengt Nelson families established farms and residences on the land southwest between here and Cedar City. The area became known as the Valley. Much of the land was later subdivided and annexed . . . — — Map (db m256019) HM
John Pidding Jones and three of his sons (all early settlers) built homes in this area, although exact locations are unknown. John Pidding Jones moved here in about 1869. He operated an iron foundry to the north of here for 20 years. His three sons . . . — — Map (db m255945) HM
North of this location are three 160-acre parcels of land homesteaded by early settlers. Northwest is Poverty Flats, homesteaded by Franklin Hunter Grimshaw. North is Blue Bird, homesteaded by Randolph Grimshaw. Northeast is See More, homesteaded . . . — — Map (db m256615) HM
Just north of here was the old bishop's storehouse and tithing office. It was used to store the offerings of members of the LDS Church. These goods (crops and other items) were then used to help others in time of need as part of the church's local . . . — — Map (db m255947) HM
Old Kanarra, as it was called by early inhabitants, was founded in the spring of 1861 by settlers who moved from Fort Harmony. The town was situated on Kanarra Creek about one mile north and east of the present location. Later, a group from . . . — — Map (db m59472) HM
The low ridge at the south end of this valley forms the south rim of the Great Basin, which in prehistoric times was the bed of a vast body of water now referred to as Lake Bonneville. It was so named in honor of Captain Benjamin L. E. Bonneville, . . . — — Map (db m1382) HM
Jefferson Hunt
This site marks one of the most controversial events in the history of 1849. Here, a large group deserted wagon train leader, Jefferson Hunt, and headed west toward present day Enterprise, Utah. Their subsequent trek is part . . . — — Map (db m239744) HM
Exploring the Old Spanish Trail in Iron County, UT
Spanish Explorers traveled nearly 100 miles through Iron County on routes that are known today as major highways. Travel on our modern day roads to get a glimpse into the past.
Enoch . . . — — Map (db m266934) HM
This Park is dedicated to the memory of Henry W. Lunt, Jan. 25 1863-Dec. 26, 1926, in recognition of his contribution to the scenic, economic and spiritual development of Southern Utah. Mr. Lunt served as Vice Chairman of the State Road Commission . . . — — Map (db m75617) HM
Paragonah was founded in 1852. Indian trouble caused abandonment a year later until 1855 when the pioneer fort was built. The site was selected and dedicated by President Brigham Young.
The fort was 105 feet square with walls 3 feet thick at the . . . — — Map (db m59617) HM
This area, a part of the Great Basin, has evolved from the time of Lake Bonneville. It has known Anasazi Indian civilizations as evidenced by nearby ruins. It has seen the Dominguez-Escalante expedition of 1776 which passed west of this valley. It . . . — — Map (db m59620) HM
The Old Spanish Trail originated as a series of ancient native american trade routes which were later connected by Mexican and American traders to provide a means for transporting commercial goods and slaves.
During the mid-1800's, Santa Fe . . . — — Map (db m240504) HM
Tithing Lot - Pioneer William Robb Jr. built a rock house, consisting of two rooms with a cellar, diagonally across the street from this location. It was later sold to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and became a Tithing Office . . . — — Map (db m59622) HM
Alma W. Richards
Utahs First Olympic Gold Medalist
February 20, 1890-born in Parowan, Utah.
1904-seeking to be "free," Richards dropped out of school at age 14.
1908-returned to school through the influence of a teacher who . . . — — Map (db m240478) HM
During the last half of the 19th century, commercial endeavors developed along Parowan's main street. Into this community rode the freighters, commanding huge freight wagons pulled by draft animals, freighting their wares to our needful pioneer . . . — — Map (db m240477) HM
Art or Language?
Rock writings, like all symbolism, may look like art, but speak different languages depending on the interpreter.
How These Images Were Made
Petroglyphs are symbols made upon rock by pecking, incising, . . . — — Map (db m274931) HM
