HISTORY OF IRON COUNTY

Throughout their history, the people and businesses of Iron County have employed hard work and inventive decisions for the benefit of their community. With a long-standing tradition of hard work and the spirit of “community above self,” they have established a strong and prosperous county built upon roots of iron.

Iron County is home to Parowan, the “Mother Town of Southern Utah,” which serves as the county seat. This picture-perfect small town was founded on Jan. 13, 1851, by Mormon apostle George A. Smith and holds strong to its pioneer heritage and charm to this day.

Devoid of stoplights, Parowan is the gateway to Utah’s Patchwork Parkway (Scenic Byway 143) and home to some of the best cinnamon rolls in the West. It’s a time capsule display of pioneer spirit. The Old Rock Church standing in the center of town is just one of many adobe buildings that have been preserved here and are open to the public.

Responding to a call for iron from Mormon leader Brigham Young, a group of 35 men from Parowan would travel to an area about 20 miles south to establish an iron works in November of 1851. Ten months later, the colony completed a blast furnace and began to operate the first iron foundry in the area. This area would later become the largest city in the county: Cedar City.

While the iron mines would come and go over time, the area held strong to its industrial roots.

Many early residents of the area found life in the southern Utah desert challenging, and, with no nearby trade communities, reliance on home-produced goods and local agriculture was essential. Sheep became an important commodity and staple of the community, paving the way for one of Cedar City’s favorite events, the annual Livestock and Heritage Festival.

As the community continued to grow, new industries and attractions followed, and the community we see today began to take shape. With the arrival of the railroad, tourism to nearby national parks and natural wonders began to flourish.

The completion of the Branch Normal School (now Southern Utah University) brought education to the forefront. The founding of the Utah Shakespeare Festival allowed the arts to take root in and thrive within the community, paving the way for the Southern Utah Museum of Art.

To this day, Iron County enjoys a wide variety of industries and unique local businesses that call the area home.

Local Government Contact Information

IRON COUNTY

Multiple office locations, visit ironcounty.net

County Commissioners:

Mike Bleak

Paul Cozzens

Marilyn Wood

Economic Development: (435) 586-2770

Building & Zoning: (435) 865-4519

Tourism: (435) 586-5124, visitcedarcity.com

CITIES & TOWNS

BRIAN HEAD TOWN

56 UT-143

Brian Head, UT 84719 (435) 586-0346 brianheadtown.utah.gov

Mayor: Clayton Calloway

CEDAR CITY

10 N. Main

Cedar City, UT (435) 586-2953 cedarcity.org

Mayor: Garth O. Green

ENOCH CITY

900 E. Midvalley Road Enoch, UT 84721 cityofenoch.org

Mayor: Geoffrey Chesnut

KANARRAVILLE TOWN

40 S. Main

Kanarraville, UT 84742

(435) 867-1852 kanarraville.org

Mayor: Betty Gould

NEW HARMONY TOWN

133 Center St. New Harmony, UT 84757 newharmonyutah.org

Mayor: Lowell D. Prince

PAROWAN CITY

35 E. 100 North Parowan, UT 84761 (435) 477-3331 parowan.org

Mayor: Mollie Halterman