Sons of Utah Pioneers honors St. George history with quarry monument, pathway

Photo courtesy of Dixie Encampment Chapter of the Sons of Utah Pioneers, St. George News
Monument created by Dixie Encampment Chapter of the Sons of Utah Pioneers at the start of the pathway to red sandstone quarry, Feb. 12, 2016 | Photo by Adam Hales, St. George News
Monument created by Dixie Encampment Chapter of the Sons of Utah Pioneers at the start of the pathway to red sandstone quarry, Feb. 12, 2016 | Photo by Adam Hales, St. George News

ST. GEORGE —  Over the course of the last several years, the Dixie Encampment Chapter of the Sons of Utah Pioneers has been working to introduce the public to a piece of pioneer history via a monument and pathway to an old red sandstone quarry nestled in the cliffs above the Dixie Red Hills Golf Course. While the monument has been completed, construction on the pathway is still underway, and members of Sons of Utah Pioneers are inviting community members to contribute to the project.

The rocks used to build the St. George Temple and Tabernacle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the original Washington County Courthouse, and the Woodward School were all quarried out of this area. Along with the monument and interpretive plaques that help visitors understand how stones were quarried, the pathway to the quarry will offer an easy walk with incredible views while honoring part of St. George history and providing a great opportunity to get outside with the family and enjoy the landscape and beauty of the sandstone quarry.

The Quarry Project is also allowing members of the community to contribute to its completion. Sons of Utah Pioneers members who are supervising construction are offering Boy Scouts working toward their Eagle Scout ranking to help with the project.

Wayne Pace, coordinator of the project, has worked with over 100 individuals to make this piece of history available to the public. Local businesses have helped provide materials for construction of the pathway. To get involved, contact the St. George City Park Planning Division at 435-627-4553.

The Sons of Utah Pioneers is an organization that honors the legacy of early settlers around the western United States by studying and preserving what they did to build this part of the country.

To find the trail, drive to the north end of N. 700 West. The trail runs beside the golf course, then turns east and heads into the sandstone hills where the quarry was located.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2016, all rights reserved.

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