Cedar City: Known as the Festival City, Cedar City is home so Southern Utah University, the Utah Shakespearean Festival and The Utah Summer Games.
     Cedar City was first settled by Mormon pioneers sent to the area to mine iron. After the iron was depleted, they continued to stay and built the beautiful community that still stands. Cedar City received authorization for a state school in May of 1897 and started their first year that fall. The name of the institution may have changed over the years, but the quality of education has increased.
     The Utah Shakespearean Festival is world renowned and you will agree when you see your first Shakespearean play in the outdoor Adams Shakespearean Theatre. You will also thrill at the contemporary plays selected each year.
     While you are enjoy the festival and the quiet community, take an event at the Utah Summer Games. Held each year in Cedar City, the Utah Summer Games bring out the best athletes in the State. Here they compete more for pride than for anything.

     St. George: The city was first started when Brigham Young, leader of the Mormon church, sent Jacob Hamblin to southern Utah as a missionary to the local Indians in 1854. During the civil war obtaining cotton was nearly impossible so Brigham Young sent 309 families to the St. George area to grow cotton and other products conducive to the climate such as silk, dried fruit, molasses and pecans. Because of the products coming from St. George and because many of the families sent to settle the area were originally from the southern States, the area became known as "Dixie" and the name continues today as "Utah's Dixie".
     In 1908, the residents of St. George expressed their desire for higher education and plans were made with church officials to start an academy of learning in the community. On September 19, 1911, the college opened under the name of St. George Stake Academy. Over the years the names changed, in 1916 it became Dixie Normal College, in 1923 it was Dixie Junior College and finally in 1970, it became Dixie College. It had a long struggle to become a State college. Now it is constantly ranked in the top ten or twenty in the NJCAA for basketball, football and baseball.
      With a population of 50,000+ and growing, St. George is one of the fastest growing communities in the country. In 1994, St. George had ten golf courses, sixteen movie theaters, more than forty motels/hotels, many tennis courts and more. Come visit the fastest growing community in Utah.

     Kanab: Established by Mormon pioneers in 1870, Kanab is the largest town in Kane County. It started as a ranching town, but throughout the century, Kanab has turned into "Utah's Little Hollywood". Located within a short driving distance of some of the most spectacular scenery in the country, Kanab is the recreational and commercial center for south central Utah and the Arizona Strip. You will find a perfect blend of small town hospitality with the conveniences of the large towns.

     Tropic: In 1874, a few pioneers heard about the Paria valley from Native Americans. It sounded like a good place to live with a favorable climate, extensive grazing and arable land, water, timber and coal. The pioneers settled near the Paria River and in the next 10 years several villages sprung up. Only Cannonville and Henrieville survived; Clifton, Losee and Georgetown all become ghost towns.      Cannonville was settled in the early 1880's with about 200 families, and Henrieville was settled with people from the area. Both towns ere named for Mormon counselors. The town of Tropic was founded in 1892 and incorporated in 1902. Tropic was home to Ebenezer Bryce, namesake of Bryce Canyon. These three communities make up what is now called Bryce Valley.

     Hatch: The quaint town of Hatch is located 15 miles south of Panguitch on US 89. Stop at the visitor center south of town for local information. The first town site, called Aaron or Asay, was established in 1872 near the mouth of Asay Creek. Later these families joined others along the Sevier River and founded the old town of Hatchtown.
     After severe floods and the breaking of the reservoir, the town was again moved to its present site and named Hatch, after a pioneer family. Mammoth and Asay Creeks are the headwaters of the Sevier River. The creeks are stocked with rainbow, German brown and cutthroat trout and offer excellent fishing, but check locally because some of the streams run through private land. The Sevier River is also stocked and the area around Hatch has the best fishing on the river.