Deseret Iron Works

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 iron workers located about seven miles west of Cedar City in the Three Peaks area; it is about 16% Fe. The smaller specimens are some that were actually hauled by horse-drawn vehicles to this site and were found during excavation. The blast furnace, foundry, pattern shop, coke and charcoal ovens, water wheel and office of the early Pioneer Iron Works were located north, south, and east of this monument.

The technology of using coke was brought by these early iron workers directly from England where the use of charcoal had been outlawed and which was a relatively new idea, especially in American iron manufacturing. In spite of floods which inundated the iron works, the undependable water source and other natural and man made difficulties, considerable iron was produced here until 1858 making the Iron Industry one of the leading factors in the economy of the Utah Territory.

This monument was dedicated November 11, 1978 (Cedar City’s 127th Birthday) and is located at 400 North 100 East in Cedar City, Utah.

Pioneer Iron Works Blast Furnace

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 Parowan on January 13, 1851 and produced the first iron west of the Mississippi on September 30, 1852 on this site. Due to economic, social, environmental and technical problems the Iron Works was closed down in October 1858.