Cedar City -- Gateway to Southern Utah

Photo by Curt Snarr (curtsnarr.com)

I spent seven years of my young teenage years waiting tables at the Cedar City Pizza Factory. During that time, I had the opportunity to meet a vast array of individuals. Some were locals some were not. I was always intrigued by the tourists who sought out our little community as a safe haven. They came in all forms and literally from all over the world: Europeans, ski gurus, actors and actresses with the Utah Shakespearean festival, playgoers, hikers, university students, and outdoor enthusiasts. It was at this age that I began "selling" Cedar City to the public. Cedar City indeed has so much to offer.

However, it is during the summer and fall that our small community comes to life. First, it holds a strategic position. Cedar City is a gateway to three national Parks: Zion, Bryce, and the Grand Canyon. Second, Cedar City is also home to the Tony Award winning Utah Shakespearean Festival, and third because there is just something about the feel of a university town- first known as Branch Agricultural School, then CSU, SUSC and finally SUU. This institution and it history which came at such a sacrifice adds flavor, dimension, and an expanded culture to my hometown.

These three reasons bring the tourists here, but I am most certain it is the echoes of the voices of past generations which keep them coming back. Perhaps, they too have come to appreciate the incredible people who helped build this community through endless sacrifice and work.

I grew up on 2nd East, the original part of town. As a kid, I remember visiting George Jones and Henry Dotson- both veterans of the great war. When I was short on money to buy candy at Cowley Drug, these two men cured my sweet tooth with pudding pops and cookies. They also shared their stories of the war and memories of our town. Hugh Cheever, owner of what was then Main Street’s Hugh’s Café lived two houses up from ours. He was trimming Daisy Sorenson’s trees until he was nearly 80. It was his utmost priority to clear the snow clad pathways of the entire street. It was a somber day when Hugh Cheever passed his illustrious snow plow onto my father. And then there was Ike Nelson who lost his wife to cancer- she was a down winder—and then later remarried Betty (she was a nurse at our doctor’s office). Ike served as the East Elementary crossing guard for years. He also manicured his lawn to perfection and literally swept the leaves off of his grass. These men seemed old and I guess they were, but they embodied the spirit of Cedar City- the character that has created this town and has been passed from one generation to the next.

Photos by Karynn Jorgensen (bloomshoot photography)

These men could tell a fine story. It was said that Nellie Unthank used to live in this part of town. As a kid, on a warm summer night, I would imagine her walking the streets on her stumps, a symbol of her pioneer sacrifice. You can visit Nellie at her statue on the SUU campus as well as that of Old Sorrel.

 Photo by Karynn Jorgensen (bloomshoot photography)

Returning to historic Cedar City Main street, you may bump into my husband’s great, great grandfather, Henry Lunt. His statue is in front of the old post office on Main and Center. My husband’s Grandmother Zina Lunt was the last living grandchild of Henry. She died in 2008. Wander a little further and several more statues will captivate you as their pioneer stories are told.

However, dig a little deeper into the history of Cedar City and you will find perhaps the symbol which binds the stories of the generations of citizens together. Located on Center Street, just off of main, stands the Old Rock Church. It is a rare gem. The rocks that cover the outer edifice of building were gathered by community members from nearby areas. Each rock is unique much like the individuals who worked on the building.

Built in the middle of the Great Depression under the direction of the Church of Jesus Christ Headquarters in Salt Lake City, it was recommended that the building be built not only for church service but a place for the entire community to gather regardless of religious affiliation. It was built to house community affairs including dances, recreation activities, town meetings, and other community affairs.

At the onslaught of the building process, the Federal Government had just purchased the Cedar City Mormon Tabernacle built in 1861. The money from the sale of the tabernacle was to be used to aid in the building of the new church. However, the money was slow in coming and the building of the construction of rock church began only thanks to the many merchants who carried the cost of the building supplies for several years. However, this portion of money was not enough. The amount required was much more and it was only through the work and sacrifice of members of the Mormon faith as well as non-members that the balance of the needed money was raised.

On May 27, 1931 the excavation began. A crew totaling 35 men worked on the building. While many volunteered their time, talent, and tools, others received a payment of $1 a day. This beautiful building was dedicated on May 27, 1934 only after all financial obligations had been met.

The old church definitely warrants a tour. Inside you will find much of the church restored to its original form. The old clock tower and winding cedar tree staircase is breathtaking. The building also houses two rock fireplaces: one in the foyer and one in the basement Relief Society room. The chapel of the building also exhibits rows of the original cedar trees pews. And perhaps the greatest gem is the baptismal font located in the southeast corner of the basement. Serving as a backdrop to the font, is a mural of John the Baptist baptizing Jesus Christ. The original artist was Covington from Hurricane, but Max D. Weaver has repainted the entire font several times.

The echoes of sacrifice, hard work and dedication can be heard from every corner of this thriving Southern Utah Community. In November 1851, this small settlement consisted of no more than 50 people who camped along Coal Creek. Today, the population has grown immensely but the descendants of those original settlers still call Cedar City home. Indeed, Cedar City is truly a beautiful place nestled in the high mountains surrounded by deep rustic colors, wild rugged beauty, an immense variety of vegetation, and incredible mountain structures.