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Tag Archives: Washington County

Civilian Conservation Corps, Leeds, Utah

03 Tuesday Jan 2023

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CCC, Historic Markers, Leeds, utah, Washington County

Civilian Conservation Corps, Leeds, Utah

The Leeds CCC camp opened in October 1933 under the direction of the Dixie National Forest Service on the site of an existing ranger station. Leeds, a town of less than 200, more than doubled with the opening of the camp. Two hundred young men from all over the country now resided and worked at Camp #585. Townspeople were relunctant at first about the impact the camp would have on local life, but support grew as the CCC camp clearly provided a boon to the struggling economy of Leeds. The community became even more accepting as the men worked on local projects, like a swimming pool, in their off-duty hours.

Related:

  • Leeds CCC Camp
  • The CCC

This historic marker is located on the northwest corner of Mulberry Lane and Main Street in Leeds, Utah

Leeds CCC Camp

03 Tuesday Jan 2023

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CCC, Eagle Projects, historic, Leeds, New Deal Funded, NRHP, utah, Washington County

Leeds CCC Camp

Built in 1933, the Leeds Civilian Conservation Corps Camp is significant as perhaps the best remaining example of a CCC camp in Utah. These camps were typically built of relatively temporary frame construction, and the surviving buildings and features such as the stone terraces at the Leeds camp present a unique, if somewhat limited, view of these important facilities. The economic impact of the Great Depression was especially severe in Utah where unemployment averaged 25 percent during the 1930s and was once as high as 36 percent. Because of the pressing need for conservation work, such as flood control, water resource development, etc., in the arid climate of southern Utah, the CCC work projects were of great importance locally.

Approximately 250 men were housed in frame barracks that were located to the southwest with other buildings such as a mess hall, library, and showers. The remaining stone structures are but a few of those originally built. The men were typically from out-of-state and served in the CCC for 9 to 12 months. Temporary remote “spike” camps were established near many of the actual construction projects. The Leeds CCC Camp was closed in 1942, and most of the frame buildings were removed before 1950.

Related:

  • CCC Camps
  • Civilian Conservation Corps, Leeds, Utah
  • New Deal Funded Projects in Utah
  • “They Were Poor, Hungry, and They Built to Last”

Located at 90 West Mulberry Lane in Leeds, Utah and added to the National Historic Register (#93000062) March 4, 1993.

Leeds Historic CCC Camp

In the depression year of 1933, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt initiated the Civilian Conservation Corps. This program provided much needed employment for the nation’s youth 18-25 years old. The men had to complete the 8th grade, and have 3-4 family members dependent on their paycheck. The men received $30.00/month of which $25.00 was sent home to their family.

The men at this base camp developed the Oak Grove Campground, built bridges and constructed roads from Leeds to St. George. They were instrumental in preserving and protecting forests, waterways and other natural resources. But the real benefit was that it gave these young men hope, self respect, and a new start in life.

Our task today is to preserve and restore this Utah CCC camp site. Your donations will be used wisely. For more information on other local CCC camps: www.wchsutah.org

2011 by Eagle Scout Project by Kody Allen.

Pintura, Utah

20 Sunday Nov 2022

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Pintura, utah, Washington County

Pintura, Utah

Also named at other times:

  • Ashton
  • Bellvue

Fort Santa Clara

18 Wednesday May 2022

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Forts, Historic Markers, Santa Clara, utah, Washington County

As winter gave way to spring in 1855, twelve missionaries were sent to southern Utah by Brigham Young to colonize this region. Fearing an attack by Indians, they began the ambitious project of building a fort. Their energies were initially directed at hauling stone which was plentiful and nearby. Local Indians, whom they trained and who were willing to help in exchange for food, assisted them. As soon as enough stone had been gathered, the work on Fort Santa Clara began in earnest.
Four stone masons from Cedar City directed the work which took approximately three weeks to complete. While inspecting the fort during one of his visits south, Mormon Leader Brigham Young pronounced it, “the best fort in the territory.”

Because of the efforts of the missionaries, there was great peace among everyone who lived in this area. The fort was never attacked by Indians. The fort became the focal point for the Swiss Settlers who arrived in November 1861.

“On Christmas Day 1861, it started to rain. We were known to have a skiff of snow about this time of year, but this year it rained, and it rained for about a month and a half. The ground became completely saturated, and the small creeks feeding the Santa Clara became streams, and the Santa Clara became a torrent. Some small trees and other debris washed down from above, backed up the Santa Clara, and during the night of 4 February 1862, the Santa Clara ran over its bank and started entering the fort from the north gate. Sarah and I awoke with water in our cabin, and we rushed out into the night in our bed clothes to warn others. By then the water was washing away our cabin on the southwest corner of the fort. The women and children were carried to safety. Two hundred bushels of the Indian’s wheat was carried from the northwest cabin to safety before that wall collapsed. We were all exhausted from the effort. Sarah and I lost everything we had except for my horses and saddles. We rushed out into the night without taking time to dress. Many miraculous events took place that night. It was dark and raining, the fort was washing away. Wheat was saved, children led and carried to safety. Some were able to save some valuables, but most was lost. But God was good to them, not one life was taken.

At conference, 22 March 1862, Jacob Hamblin was called to be the new President of the Indian Mission. With the importance of his new position and the disaster of losing the fort in the flood, Jacob started building a new home. Most of Jacob’s garden area and orchard by the fort were destroyed, so he started again. The stone from the north wall of the fort was used in building the structure, and the Swiss people used the rest, so the last of the fort wall disappeared.” – Ira Hatch, Indian Missionary, by Richard Ira Elkins

Today, within the walls of some of the homes in our community, these rock walls still stand as a shelter to the inhabitants of this beautiful city of Santa Clara. Jacob Hamblin’s home, now registered as a historical site and open for public visits, is a reminder of the courage of those who fought the vagaries of nature and made this part of the world their garden.

How Would You Build a Fort?

A single community cabin was the starting point for the fort. The fort was to be one hundred feet long on each side with stone walls twelve feet high and about two feet thick. The plan called for seven cabins on each side of the fort. Each cabin was about twelve and one-half feet wide and twenty feet deep and had one door and one window. Stone fireplaces, placed in the center back wall of each cabin, provided a good portion of the outside wall of the fort. The inside cabin walls were of logs, except for the end cabins which had two walls of rock. The cabin roofs were supported on logs set into the rock on one end and on log walls on the inside of the fort. Protective gun ports were built into the outside rock walls. On the east and west side of the fort, defenders would lie on the roof tops to fire from the gun ports. Wooden ladders gave access to the raised platforms on the north and south sides. The main gate faced south; a smaller cattle gate was built into the center of the north wall. Entrance into the fort was gained by two doors on the south side which faced the road. These doors swung on heavy iron hinges built into the rock; heavy cross members, about three inches thick, were bolted to them for strength. The doors were locked with four by six inch beams placed into carriers. A large iron hasp held them closed when the beams were not needed.

The Stockyard

In 1996, the foundation of the Fort Santa Clara Stockyard was unearthed. The original stockyard was located some distance away from Fort Santa Clara so the animals would not be a nuisance to those living in the fort. The animals could be easily watched from the fort which was south from here toward the Santa Clara River.

The Missionaries

The monument is dedicated to the following men who colonized the Santa Clara area.

The five missionaries were:

  • Jacob Hamblin
  • Ira Hatch
  • Samuel Knight
  • Thales Haskell

Missionaries called at October 1853 General Conference to the Indian Mission, Southwest Territory:

  • Thomas Brown
  • Samuel Atwood
  • Robert Dickson
  • Benjamin Knell
  • Robert Richie
  • David Tullis
  • Hyrum Burgess
  • Lorenzo Roundy
  • John Lott
  • Clark Ames
  • Rufus Allen
  • Richard Robinson
  • Amos Thornton
  • Isaac Riddle
  • Prime Coleman
  • William Henefer
  • David Lewis
  • Elnathan Eldredge
  • John Murdock

Related:

  • Pioneer Forts
  • Santa Clara, Utah

Middleton, Utah

14 Wednesday Apr 2021

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utah, Washington County

Middleton was settled in 1863 in what is now part of St George, Utah.

Middleton Drive and Middleton Park still reflect the name.

Related:

  • Alexander F. Macdonald Home

Hurricane Historic District

13 Tuesday Apr 2021

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Hurricane, NRHP, utah, Washington County

The Hurricane Historic District is locally significant, both architecturally and historically, because it represents the social, economic, and architectural history of Hurricane, Utah. The district is significant under Criterion C for its concentration of intact examples of residential and commercial buildings that were built during each major construction period of the community’s early history, from the town’s founding in 1906 through 1940. The district accurately represents the full range of architectural styles, types, and construction materials found in Hurricane. The district is also significant under Criterion A for its representation of early agricultural family settlement patterns and local community growth. Hurricane experienced steady expansion as an agrarian community after the Hurricane Canal provided crop irrigation for new residents in 1904. The town continued to develop as an agricultural settlement until the beginning of World War II.

The Hurricane Historic District in Hurricane, Utah was added to the National Register of Historic Places (#95000980) August 4, 1995.

Roughly bounded by 300 South, 200 West, State St. and the Hurricane Canal.

Site

Hurricane is located in the southwest corner of Utah, 18 miles northeast of St. George, the county seat and largest city in the region. The town contains a population of approximately 4,500 people, and is built upon a grid of five acre blocks separated by wide streets. The Hurricane Historic District is located in the center of town and contains a variety of buildings from three primary building phases: 1906- 1920, 1920-1940, and 1945-present. The district covers an area of approximately twelve square blocks, with 121 primary buildings and 24 outbuildings. Of these, 66 of the buildings and 15 of the outbuildings contribute to the historic character of the district. Although out-of-period structures are found throughout the area, the district retains its overall historic feeling and association.

Commercial buildings dominate the core of the district along Main Street, with houses radiating into the surrounding blocks. Though each block is divided into four lots, most blocks contain 12-15 houses, with moderate front yards and varying set-backs. Residential blocks are characterized by open interiors, where a number of outbuildings are located. The oldest houses are located on corner lots. An abundance of mature trees, especially oak, fruit, and nut varieties, line the residential streets. Sandstone gutters are found on the east side of Main Street between 200 South and 300 South; elsewhere the gutters are concrete or nonexistent. Sidewalks are found only in front of the commercial buildings on Main Street, where the buildings are joined to each other and built flush with the sidewalk

The surrounding landscape of Hurricane is characterized by dramatic red and black rock outcroppings and scrubbrush. The natural landscape along the eastern boundary of the district consists of a rugged cliff that rises sharply for a distance of approximately 300 feet. The Hurricane Canal runs along the side of this ridge, which provides a distinctive visual boundary for the district. Two historic rock and concrete water cisterns (c. 1909) are located next to the canal at the north edge of the district boundaries.

Residential Buildings

Domestic structures within the Hurricane Historic District are primarily Victorian eclectic cross-wing houses, single-story Foursquare cottages, Bungalows, and Period Revival cottages that were built between 19068 and 1940. Later infill construction consists of post-WWII cottages and modern ranch houses. The houses are relatively small one or one-and-a-half story single family residences that contain little exterior embellishment. Detailing, where present, is usually subtle and of Greek Revival or Victorian eclectic style. The Victorian houses are characterized by asymmetrical facades, arched brick lintels over double-hung windows, and patterned wood shingles on gable roof ends. The Bungalows and Foursquare cottages are distinguished by low, hipped rooflines and simple, rectangular footprints. The Bungalows have large porches and wide overhanging eaves. Period Revival Cottages are characterized by picturesque irregular massing and decorative exterior materials. The post-WWII cottages are identified by simple, square plans and narrow eaves over hipped roofs. The long, rectangular ranch houses follow horizontal plans with elongated facades.

Red brick is the most common building material among all housing types, though several houses are constructed of frame. Approximately ten percent of the houses (both brick and frame) have been covered with stucco. Foundations of the earliest structures are sandstone, while the later buildings contain concrete foundations. The most common roofing material is asphalt shingle, a non-original material. Almost all of the houses contain frame or brick porches, most of which maintain their original appearance. Large picture windows are present in many of the houses, especially among the Bungalows, Foursquare cottages, and ranch houses

Among all houses in the district, the Victorian houses and Bungalows along Main Street retain the highest level of integrity. Newer buildings which are found throughout the district are compatible in scale and materials with the historic structures and do not overwhelm the character of the district.

Commercial & Public Buildings

Historic commercial buildings in the Hurricane Historic District are one-part or two-part block buildings, constructed from local brick between 1911 and 1922. Like the houses, these buildings exhibit minor stylistic characteristics which are predominantly Victorian eclectic. Modestly decorative brick patterns form a common detail element on the upper story of these early structures. Many of them have been covered in stucco. Large display windows and recessed entries are also recurrent. A later commercial building is the Spanish Colonial Revival style Dixie Hotel (c. 1925) which is located at 73 South Main.

Out-of-period commercial buildings within the district are similar in scale to the historic structures but exhibit modern signage and detailing. Brick veneer and aluminum and vinyl siding are the dominant exterior materials of these post-WWII buildings.

The Hurricane Historic District includes a concentration of public institutional buildings in two blocks along 100 West, between State Street and 100 South. Most of these are red brick PWA Moderne structures that were built in the 1930’s. The 1938 Hurricane City Hall/Library (35 West State) is surrounded by a town square and outdoor pioneer park museum. Three public schools (two contributing), an out-of-period gymnasium, and playgrounds are located within this complex.

Outbuildings

A number of outbuildings, including barns, granaries, and sheds are found throughout the district. The block between 200-300 South, Main Street-100 East contains four contributing barns and two granaries, all of which probably date from the earliest years of the town’s history. Like the houses, most of the single-cell granaries are constructed of red brick, with gabled roofs. These granaries generally contain less than 200 square feet. The large frame barns are somewhat deteriorated but retain their historic integrity. Most barns contain two levels, with spaces for livestock on the main level and agricultural storage above.

Canal Building, 1893-1908

Early pioneers had occupied the region for many years before Hurricane was established. The nearby Virgin River valley, settled by Mormons in 1862, had become heavily overstocked and overgrazed by the late 19th century. Because most natural vegetation had been destroyed, spring rains and thaws created severe agricultural erosion problems for residents of the valley. Intense population growth in the 1870’s and 1880’s placed additional strain on available lands. By 1890, residents of the valley were desperate for additional agricultural property. They wanted to remain close to their families in Virgin, and looked to the Hurricane bench as a possibility for expansion. They believed the soil was highly fertile and would support crops if the land could be irrigated.

After several years of feasibility studies by various investors, an elaborate canal was built at the turn of the century. Over the first nine years of the project, few original stockholders remained. Financial difficulties troubled the enterprise, and it was near total failure in 1902. James Jepson, president of the Hurricane Canal Company, successfully lobbied officials at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon Church) headquarters in Salt Lake City for intervention. They invested $5,000 into the project, which provided the needed capital to complete the canal. With irrigation underway, Hurricane quickly became known by locals as “Utah’s Fruit Basket,” renowned for its abundant vineyards, fruits, and nut orchards.

When more than 100 people gathered for a rally in August of 1904 to watch water flow into their new homeland, a story was told of an 1865 incident involving Mormon church leader Erastus Snow. Snow was travelling through the area when a sudden gust of wind blew the top off of his buggy. He exclaimed, “My, that was a hurricane! We’ll call this Hurricane hill.” The people at the rally cheered and decided to name their new town “Hurricane” (pronounced “Hurricun” by locals). Ironically, the area boasts of a mild climate throughout the year.

The town was surveyed in 1896, but the first permanent structures were not built until 1906. Earlier town residents lived in tents, dugouts, or granaries while they built permanent homes; few of these early structures remain.

Early Residential Growth. 1906-1930

Although Hurricane was founded several years later than most Utah communities,6 the town follows a tradition of early Mormon settlements, utilizing the characteristic layout of carefully planned, gridded streets. Agrarian families (mostly Mormon), settled on 1.25 acre plots that were assigned to them in return for investment in the Hurricane Canal Project. The Hurricane Canal Company assigned lots and approved building activity for the town, but retained title to all property until the mid-1910’s. The earliest permanent homes were located on corners, with the central portion of the blocks reserved for gardens, outbuildings, and small livestock. A number of these early agricultural structures remain. In addition to the residential lots, each investor received 20 acres of farmland outside the town.

Early families built houses of frame or brick, in Victorian or Bungalow styles. Few buildings were fashioned with ornate embellishment. The early residents of Hurricane adopted scaled-down versions of the contemporary architectural styles in Utah. A typical Hurricane adaptation to the Victorian house appears as a simple cross-wing plan, with modest wood porch and minor trim.

Local builders were responsible for most of the initial construction in Hurricane. F.T. Ashton, Christian Christensen, Alonzo Dalton, Jesse Lemmon, and John Stout were contractors in the 1910s. Early masons included Edward Cripps, J.H. Petty, and George Worthen. Amos Workman was the town surveyor for several years during Hurricane’s original development period.

Early Commercial Growth, 1908-1920

In response to flourishing agricultural growth, rapid commercial and economic expansion swept the area in the years soon after completion of the Hurricane Canal. Visitors to the area commented in 1909, “Hurricane, that thrifty new settlement, surely has made great progress during the year in building new homes, school house, hall and planting out thousands of fruit trees and vines.” The first local brick was produced in 1908. By 1913, Hurricane was furnished with four mercantile stores, an ice supply operation, a new planing mill, and long distance telephone service. Hurricane residents could buy food, fabric, hardware, building materials, and even caskets from Petty, DeMille, and Company, who boasted of having a “fine new building…the largest mercantile in the county.” In 1914, William Petty brought a movie theater to Hurricane, which was powered by natural gas. Three hotels were in existence by 1915, all of which were operated from private homes. That same year, Bert Woodbury opened an ice cream parlor, and Petty, DeMille, and Company installed the first automobile gasoline tank in front of their store on the corner of State and Main Streets. By 1916, Hurricane had a population of 750, with “substantial stores, a public school, flour mill, and several long distance telephone connections.” The first automobile garage and service station opened in 1920, and a bank was completed in 1922. Almost all of these early businesses operated within the boundaries of the proposed Hurricane Historic District; many of these buildings still stand.

Hurricane residents received confirmation of their newfound permanent status in 1913, when Dr. H.H. Wilkinson and his wife moved to town. Prior to this, all medical services were rendered by Myra H. Lemmon, a nurse and midwife. The H.H. Wilkinson House is located at the south end of the district, at 20 East 400 South.

Public Improvement Projects

Public improvement projects accompanied residential and commercial growth in Hurricane, especially after its incorporation in 1914. In 1907, Hurricane hired two teachers. The first local post office was established (c. 1907) by J.L. and Mary Workman, and a social hall (demolished) was built in 1908. The Hurricane Canal Company announced plans for an electric generating plant in October of 1915, hoping to have the town “lit up for Christmas.” Gravel street improvements also occurred in 1915. Hurricane residents installed a drinking water system in 1918, the same year a new school building (demolished) was completed for $32,000, enthusiastically financed through a town bond issue. Public sewers were first introduced in 1930. New Deal projects of the 1930’s brought about a second wave of public building activity. A new twelve-room schoolhouse was completed in 1935, and a city hall/library was built in 1938.

Characterized by a single road leading into and out of town, Hurricane was known as the “dead end street town” by residents of surrounding communities for many years. Hurricane residents, however, saw the potential economic value they could generate through tourism if a strategic highway was built that placed Hurricane on the major thoroughfare between the city of St. George, Zion National Park, and the Grand Canyon. For many years, town residents fervently petitioned the Utah State Legislature to build such a road. This request was finally honored as a Utah Works Progress Administration project in 1937, when a road was completed that linked Hurricane to the surrounding area. Since the completion of this road, consistent growth has occurred in the area surrounding the Hurricane Historic District. Today, Hurricane is experiencing intense growth pressure due to its proximity to St. George, one of the fastest growing communities in Utah. The area attracts retirees and others who are drawn to the mild climate and affordable cost of living. Current residents who are employed generally work in nearby St. George.

The Hurricane Historic District is an important historical resource because it represents the settlement and development of Hurricane, Utah. The district is locally significant because the buildings reflect the architectural and historical development of the town. The residences, commercial buildings, institutional structures, and outbuildings within the district provide a complete representation of a wide range of architectural styles and plans popular in the local region between 1900-1940.

Leeds Town Hall

22 Monday Mar 2021

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City Hall Buildings, Leeds, utah, Washington County

The building to your left was originally built as a schoolhouse in 1880 in nearby Silver Reef. It also served in the mining boomtown as a place for community dances and other gatherings.

Soon after the schoolhouse was built, Silver Reef began to decline in population, and by the early 1900s the building was no longer in use. At that time, the building was divided into two parts and moved on logs pulled by horses along the road, 2 miles from Silver Reef to its present site in Leeds. For more than five decades, until 1956, it served as the Leeds Schoolhouse. During most of that time, its two classrooms housed students in eight different grades.

After the school closed, the building was leased to and used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a recreation center. Eventually it was remodeled and turned into a town hall and community gathering place for Leeds. The old school was reroofed and the small porch on the original building was expanded across the full length of the new town hall’s front.

LEEDS PEACHES: DID YOU KNOW? In the 30s, 40s, and 50s when the peach farming was booming in Leeds, peaches from the community were shipped throughout the West via rail from Cedar City. The local people working in the orchards and packing the bushel baskets with ripening peaches became curious about the cost consumer’s were paying for their peaches. So they began writing notes in the bottom of the baskets asking for people to write them back and let them know what they were paying. It was common to receive replies from as far away as Texas and Michigan. Compliments about how good the peaches tasted were often included with the replies.

There are two historic markers out front:

  • A Tale of Three Towns
  • Schoolhouse to Town Hall: A Building on the Move

Located at 218 North Main Street in Leeds, Utah.

Hurricane Library/City Hall

05 Friday Mar 2021

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City Hall Buildings, Historic Buildings, Hurricane, Libraries, New Deal Funded, NRHP, utah, Washington County, WPA

Hurricane Library/City Hall

This building was constructed in 1938-40 as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project. The WPA was one of several New Deal programs designed to stimulate economic recovery during the Great Depression while providing needed public services and facilities. Over 230 public works buildings were constructed in Utah; approximately half of them retain their architectural integrity.

This building housed the city offices, library, police, and Hurricane Canal Company until the mid-1980s. The city then made it available to the Hurricane Valley Pioneer Heritage Foundation to develop as a museum.

The structure is built chiefly of hand-hewn sandstone that was quarried by construction workers from the banks of Berry Springs, about six miles west of Hurricane. The original estimated cost of construction was $22,300, but as the material cost was greatly reduced, the city was obligated to pay only $7,000.

Related Posts:

  • Hurricane, Utah
  • Hurricane Valley Pioneer Heritage Park

Hurricane City

16 Tuesday Feb 2021

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Historic Markers, Hurricane, SUP, utah, Washington County

Hurricane City

Hurricane had its humble beginning in the year 1906 with the coming of eleven families to establish their homes. These first settlers were the families of T. Maurice Hinton, Ira E. Bradshaw, Anthony Jepson, Thomas Isom, Bernard Hinton, Erastus Lee, Jacob Workman, Amos Workman, Nephi Workman, and Frank Ashton. However, the story of our city cannot be told without looking back to Palmyra, New York, where a new church was organized on April 6, 1830. These people (our forebearers) became known as Mormons. Because of “peculiar” beliefs and a new book of scripture brought forth and translated by the Prophet Joseph Smith, they were severely persecuted and mobbed. Being driven from state to state they finally ended up in Nauvoo, Illinois, their last stronghold in the United States at that time.

On June 27, 1844, a mob with blackened faces killed the Prophet. Hatred and malice steadily increased and by February, 1846, it was evident our people must flee again. Brigham Young, an apostle, now became the leader and gave orders for a mass exodus to begin. On solid ice the first wagons rolled across the Mississippi River toward an unknown land in the Rocky Mountains. Without shelter and being exposed to the bitter weather, many people died while others suffered greatly.

Brigham Young, with the first company of exiles, entered the Great Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. The next twenty years saw numerous covered wagon trains and hand-cart companies crossing the plains of mid-America. Many converts came from Europe to join the exodus. From 1846 to 1866 nearly 80,000 made the trek to Utah, and over 6,000 others were buried along the 1,300 mile trail.

Being so far from civilization the new Mormon empire must now become self-sufficient. Exploration parties were sent far and wide to find suitable places to colonize. This area became known as Utah’s Dixie because of its semi-tropical climate. During the Civil War cotton was desperately needed so the church leaders called families to come south to settle and raise cotton and other crops which could best be grown in this warm climate. With the coming of the railroad and establishment of peace with the U.S. Government, the need for the cotton industry gradually subsided.

The Virgin River Basin was now left with many little towns struggling for survival. Malaria fever, isolation and a turbulent, unconquerable river contributed to the extreme hardships. Large families and lack of land prompted the faint hearted to move elsewhere.

Our town was the last pioneer settlement of this area. Up to this time, the arid land, without water for irrigation, had little value. The conception and building of the Hurricane Canal is the real story of Hurricane. Bringing water from the deep Virgin River Gorge to the Hurricane Bench, through a canal, was dreamed about for many years. Most thought it impossible. There were some, however, with the necessary faith and tenacity to believe it could be done, who set out to fulfill their dreams. With handtools and dynamite our pioneers labored for twelve long years carving the 12-mile channel that would give life-blood to the valley. The canal, stretching hundreds of feet above the canyon floor, passing through ten tunnels of solid rock and over five trestled flumes, looms on the south side of the Virgin River Gorge. It is literally etched into a mountainside of pervious material. Only God and man’s constant vigil has sustained it there.

Our town was incorprated in 1912. Thanks be to God for these stalwart, dedicated, hard-working and religious people – the pioneers of Hurricane.

This is S.U.P. Marker #23-C, see other S.U.P. Markers here.

This historic marker is located in Hurricane Valley Pioneer Heritage Park in Hurricane, Utah.

GREEN VALLEY

03 Thursday Dec 2020

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Hillside Letters, St George, utah, Washington County

Another in my collection of trying to document all of the hillside/mountainside letters or words around Utah.

See more here:

  • Green Valley, Utah
  • Hillside Letters

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