What do you think?
Rate this book
Utah Centennial County History
A History of Washington County: From Isolation to Destination
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 17, 2015
I was a resident of Washington County for over twenty years from 1988-2003. Graduated from Hurricane High School in 1993 and Dixie College in 1996.
I remember our family's first New Year's Eve in 1988 when the Quail Creek (affectionately called Quail "Leak" from that time forth) dam broke and residents between Hurricane and St. George were forced to alter their driving routes.
I experienced the 1993 minor earthquake.
Participating in the Dixie Roundup parade, Rotary Bowl and Washington County Fair (still held in the streets of downtown Hurricane when this book was published before the fairgrounds west of town were built) with my high school marching band remain an important part of small-town community life.
I was employed at the Wal-Mart Distribution Center for three years.
Members of my family have been and are currently employed at SkyWest airlines.
I have watched in awe over these last three decades as this rough and raw country has exploded with new housing developments and businesses. The opening of the Red Cliffs Mall in 1990 was especially exciting for myself and my teenage friends as it provided a place for socialization, not to mention shopping.
Growing up, many youth and single adult activities I enjoyed involved trips to historical sites listed in this informative book such as Pipe Springs, St. George Tabernacle, Brigham Young Winter Home, the Jacob Hamblin Home and floating down the La Verkin and Hurricane canals on inner tubes in the 90's (these structures are now covered and no longer accessible).
The stories about the miracle of obtaining glass for the tabernacle, Lorenzo Snow's inspired revelation to pay tithing as dramatized in an LDS church video, Jacob Hamblin's reputation for honesty. These and many more cherished stories I grew up hearing are all included here.
This is a well-written and fascinating book with all kinds of fun tidbits and name-dropping with plenty of nostalgic photographs of the area.
Whether you're a history buff or a long time resident, everyone will find something to appreciate about the history of a county that was recently voted one of the 50 Best Small Cities in the country to live.
I remember our family's first New Year's Eve in 1988 when the Quail Creek (affectionately called Quail "Leak" from that time forth) dam broke and residents between Hurricane and St. George were forced to alter their driving routes.
I experienced the 1993 minor earthquake.
Participating in the Dixie Roundup parade, Rotary Bowl and Washington County Fair (still held in the streets of downtown Hurricane when this book was published before the fairgrounds west of town were built) with my high school marching band remain an important part of small-town community life.
I was employed at the Wal-Mart Distribution Center for three years.
Members of my family have been and are currently employed at SkyWest airlines.
I have watched in awe over these last three decades as this rough and raw country has exploded with new housing developments and businesses. The opening of the Red Cliffs Mall in 1990 was especially exciting for myself and my teenage friends as it provided a place for socialization, not to mention shopping.
Growing up, many youth and single adult activities I enjoyed involved trips to historical sites listed in this informative book such as Pipe Springs, St. George Tabernacle, Brigham Young Winter Home, the Jacob Hamblin Home and floating down the La Verkin and Hurricane canals on inner tubes in the 90's (these structures are now covered and no longer accessible).
The stories about the miracle of obtaining glass for the tabernacle, Lorenzo Snow's inspired revelation to pay tithing as dramatized in an LDS church video, Jacob Hamblin's reputation for honesty. These and many more cherished stories I grew up hearing are all included here.
This is a well-written and fascinating book with all kinds of fun tidbits and name-dropping with plenty of nostalgic photographs of the area.
Whether you're a history buff or a long time resident, everyone will find something to appreciate about the history of a county that was recently voted one of the 50 Best Small Cities in the country to live.
November 20, 2020
Is your grandma the very polite type that will mention that something is controversial, but won't go into any detail because it wouldn't be proper to gossip? That's a lot of this book. Like the Swiss pioneers were apparently treated very poorly by the other LDS pioneers, but it doesn't say anything about why. The first edition did come out before Warren Jeffs became prophet, so I do give them some leeway on only referring to Short Creek as a "unique religious community." The second edition does go more into the gender violence perpetrated under the Jeffs regime. The Mountain Meadows Massacre was mentioned several times as one of the most important events in county history, but dedicated more space to things like the history of retail in the county and the transfer of Dixie College to state ownership.
I was kinda shocked at how they treated the Downwinders from the Nevada Test Site. "These residents of Washington County have come to believe they are victims of one of the deadliest cover-ups in the nation's history." Um they ARE victims.
The two authors are very closely tied to St George, so there is heavy, HEAVY emphasis on the city. One is a former mayor of St George, while the other is a former president of Dixie State. As this book was funded by the state of Utah with cooperation from the county governments, it is a very rosy depiction of the history of the county. I know the history of southwest Utah is full of LDS history, but this book is pro-colonialism and pro-white savior of the natives. It was also written in 1995, and a lot has changed since then.
I was kinda shocked at how they treated the Downwinders from the Nevada Test Site. "These residents of Washington County have come to believe they are victims of one of the deadliest cover-ups in the nation's history." Um they ARE victims.
The two authors are very closely tied to St George, so there is heavy, HEAVY emphasis on the city. One is a former mayor of St George, while the other is a former president of Dixie State. As this book was funded by the state of Utah with cooperation from the county governments, it is a very rosy depiction of the history of the county. I know the history of southwest Utah is full of LDS history, but this book is pro-colonialism and pro-white savior of the natives. It was also written in 1995, and a lot has changed since then.
January 24, 2019
It's great to know more about the history of where one lives, what goes into even the little details of development - where the water comes from, why the towns are located in certain random places, how a college was established, why the arts flourish in a town this size, etc. I'm more mindful of my surroundings and feel gratitude for those who gave much to make this area livable and vibrant. Kudos to the authors for pulling together all the varied information.
January 6, 2021
I had not realized before reading this book that the women were left alone so often, probably more than half the time. They were the real pioneers planting trees, sewing and directing water. They raised many children and spent all their time canning, sewing, planting and praying.
April 4, 2019
Amazing read! Exposes stories of PTSD, alcohol abuse, strong friendships, challenges of living in Alaska and love. Great read!!
December 27, 2021
Good information, poorly written.
August 21, 2014
Interesting book that covers a wide range of historical topics by era with a few exceptions. I found the coverage of the quest for water in the county to be very informative.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews