Pioneer Village is an authentic representation of life in Provo before the arrival of the Utah Southern Railroad in 1873. Most of the buildings and artifacts in the Village have come from the surrounding area. The historic structures depict various businesses, public meeting places, homes and outbuildings for animal care.
The existence of this Village is due to the foresight of the George A, Smith Chapter of the Sons of Utah Pioneers, a group of dedicated men who realized the need for preserving the heritage of this area. In 1931, David Loveless donated the John Turner cabin, several outbuildings, and his large collection of artifacts to the local Sons of Utah Pioneers. The city of Provo provided the land on which the Village stands. Since the beginning, the Sons of Utah Pioneers have expanded and improved the Village by adding buildings and artifacts and by repairing and preserving the original donations.
In 2006, the George A. Smith Chapter merged with the Brigham Young Chapter of the Sons of Utah Pioneers, which took over as the official sponsor of the Village. Many visionary men have contributed time and money to the project. Hopefully, all who visit here will appreciate the faith, dedication, and determination of the pioneers who settled Provo and will desire to contribute to its preservation.
Note: This Village represents early Provo, a frontier community existing mostly in isolation. The pioneers’ very survival depended on their own skills and the support of their neighbors and friends. What they ate, they grew; what they wore, they made; and what they needed, they manufactured or they did without. Things were used and reused; little was discarded or thrown away.

The south part of the Village represents the residential community; their homes, garden, orchard, granary, corncrib, corral and loafing shed. The northeast part of the Village has the commercial enterprises including the blacksmith shop, cooper shop, wood shop, ox shoeing stock, store and grain mill (represented by the mill stones resting against the store). The northwest section of the Village has the school and town square.

See other historic markers in the series on this page for SUP Markers.