Paragonah Town Square
This area, a part of the Great Basin, has evolved from the time of
Lake Bonneville. It has known Anasazi Indian civilizations as
evidenced by nearby ruins. It has seen the Dominguez-Escalante
expedition of 1776 which passed west of this valley. It has hosted
explorers and traders on the Old Spanish Trail which came through
Bear Valley and entered the Parowan Valley at Little Creek. It knew
the Jedediah S. Smith expedition in 1826. Even Parley P. Pratt and his
company explored here in 1849 to search for sites for Mormon
colonization.
Apostle George A. Smith led an expedition and colonized what is now
Parowan in the year 1851. That spring, 40 acres were cultivated near
Black Rock, south of town. In 1852 others joined the farming venture,
building rude huts for shelter at "Red Creek," as it was originally
named. In 1853 the settlement was abandoned due to Indian
skirmishes and was not resettled until 1855 when a fort was erected
(see monument to the north).
The town's name was originally spelled "Paragoonah," an Indian
word meaning "many watering holes" Artesian wells dotted the
landscape, which today have been replaced by gravity-flow sprinkling
systems that provide water to the abundant stands of alfalfa.
This Centennial year of 1996 finds a peaceful community with a spirit of
unity, freedom from density of population, clear spring water, and
clean air. Nearby canyons provide ample opportunities for fishing,
hunting and other recreation. Old homes and barns, the Black Rock
Cave, and Anasazi remnants make it historically unique. Today, the
proud community honors its past and future in the Town/Church
square at this spot. For more information see "A Memory Bank for
Paragonah" published by the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers in 1990.
Betsy Topham Camp, D.U.P. and
The Paragonah Civic Committee
