Explore SUU’s founding with a self-guided tour of southern Utah

Estimated learn time: 6-7 minutes

Not many universities have as wealthy of a historical past in a spot of beautiful pure magnificence as Southern Utah College. Because the College celebrates 125 years, comply with within the footsteps of the founders and expertise the start of the College on a historic scenic tour by way of Cedar Metropolis and southern Utah.

The founding of Southern Utah College

In 1897, the Utah Legislature known as for the institution of a trainer coaching faculty to offer for the area’s rising pioneer settlement communities. The residents of Cedar Metropolis confronted the daunting job of developing the state-required constructing, and with the intention to full the constructing on time, the challenge started throughout a record-cold and snowy winter.

With no time to lose, Cedar Metropolis residents organized winter lumbering expeditions and commenced pouring labor and assets into the challenge. Negotiating harsh storms whereas hauling timber from a sawmill positioned close to present-day Brian Head utilizing solely wood wagons, the primary constructing was devoted in 1898, assembly the state’s mandated deadline. Now referred to as Previous Major, the College’s first constructing stands as an inspirational legacy of fortitude, dedication, and neighborhood triumph.

Historic Tour of Southern Utah College’s founding

This summer time, journey by way of Cedar Metropolis and southern Utah on a scenic tour visiting historic websites devoted to the founding, in addition to areas alongside the Previous Sorrel Path, which tells the story of the expedition. Take your time visiting every location in Cedar Metropolis, or make it a full-day journey by including extra areas within the area. For those who drive the total loop, complete driving time is about 1.5 hours.

Southern Utah College’s campus

Begin the day in Cedar Metropolis on Southern Utah College’s stunning campus. Right here you will discover two monuments devoted to the College’s founding and Previous Major, the primary constructing constructed by the founders. We advocate parking within the open car parking zone on the nook of 300 West and College Boulevard and strolling the campus.

Previous Major

Positioned on the Higher Quad of SUU’s campus, Previous Major is central to the College’s founding and campus life as we speak. The constructing initially housed the complete faculty, a big chapel for non secular applications and assemblies, a library and studying room, a pure historical past museum, organic and bodily laboratories, school rooms, and workplaces. At present Previous Major is dwelling to administrative workplaces.

A monument positioned to the left of the east doorways is one in all eight alongside the 1898 route which tells the story of the outstanding expedition.

Founders Monument

The Founder Monument is positioned simply to the north of the west entrance to the America First Occasion Middle at SUU. The scene depicted by artist Jerry Anderson is of the previous sorrel horse, seen because the savior of that first lumber expedition, forging the best way by way of snowdrifts and embankments to carry lumber again to Cedar Metropolis. Created in 1986, the piece exemplifies the extent of the dedication of southern Utah’s early pioneers to the reason for schooling.

The Founders’ Wagon

One of many College’s oldest remaining artifacts, this modestly-constructed wagon is the precise automobile used to haul lumber for the development of Previous Major. Positioned within the hallway connecting the Sharwan Smith Pupil Middle and the America First Occasion Middle, the wagon was constructed from wooden reduce between 1894 and 1895 and was restored by Blaine Allan in 1998.

Frontier Homestead State Park

After exploring SUU’s campus, make your technique to the Frontier Homestead State Park positioned on Cedar Metropolis’s Major Avenue. Right here you will discover one other artifact from SUU’s founding, the Jensen Sawmill.

Heber C. Jensen Sawmill

On the time of the founding, the Heber C. Jensen Sawmill was positioned east of Brian Head and Cedar Breaks Nationwide Monument. When the expedition started, there was a substantial quantity of reduce lumber on the mill, nevertheless, that winter and into the following 12 months, the lads labored the mill to chop the extra lumber wanted for the varsity.

Historic areas in southern Utah

To journey alongside the route of SUU’s founders, take Freeway 14 and drive up Cedar Canyon. About half-hour up the canyon you will take a left onto Freeway 148 towards Cedar Breaks Nationwide Monument from there you will journey by way of the park towards Brian Head, then onto Parowan, and again to Interstate 15. Once more, the loop is about 1.5 hours of driving time, not together with stops alongside the best way.

Whereas this isn’t the precise path the founders took, it does showcase among the most stunning wilderness within the state, and the way tough the duty will need to have been to maneuver the lumber.

The primary group of males who braved the mountain drifts proved real heroes. They waded by way of snow that usually was shoulder deep, pushing and tramping their manner up the mountains, sleeping within the holes scraped out of the snow and coated with mattresses of hay. From the Jensen Sawmill, they made their manner over Lightning Hill, after which out throughout the plains referred to as “The Mammoth” and on previous Cedar Breaks Nationwide Monument.

Cedar Breaks Nationwide Monument

Stopping at any of the lookout factors in Cedar Breaks Nationwide Monument provides you a terrific probability to see the structure of the land and the place the expedition traveled. When standing trying to the west, you’ll see Cedar Canyon and simply to the left, Sugar Loaf mountain. The expedition wandered up Cedar Canyon, veered north, and wound round Cedar Breaks to move east to Jensen Sawmill.

Bryant’s Resort and Lightning Hill Marker

If you end up prepared to depart Cedar Breaks, journey north to Brian Head, Utah. Simply earlier than Brian Head, pull over on the city signal on the correct aspect of the freeway. Right here you will discover a marker for Bryant’s Resort. Cornelius Bladen, Randle W. Lunt, D.D. Sherratt and Richard Bryant spent a really chilly night time huddled round a fireplace close to this spot after they had been compelled to cease their work due to a fierce snowstorm. This was Bryant’s first expertise with winter lumbering, so his companions named the spot Bryant’s Resort in his honor.

Whereas these aren’t the one markers alongside the Previous Sorrel Path, they’re the best to journey to and provides guests a perspective on the land traveled by the founders. To move again to Cedar Metropolis or Interstate 15, journey Freeway 143 by way of Brian Head and into Parowan. Right here you possibly can select whether or not you journey south again to Cedar Metropolis, or north towards Salt Lake Metropolis.

Study extra concerning the founding

Produced on-location at or close to the place the precise occasions occurred, “Again Up the Mountain” particulars the wonderful story of decided women and men who based SUU. Starring Jasen Wade as Neil Bladen, the person decided to get the lumber from the mountain, and Dan Frezza, as Francis Webster, the chief who guided the neighborhood. Many solid members and extras are proud descendants of the college’s founders.

Watch “Again Up the Mountain” and the behind-the-scenes story at suu.edu/backupthemountain.

This 12 months marks 125 years of fortitude, dedication, and neighborhood triumph at Southern Utah College. Based in 1897, the College is celebrating its wealthy historical past and getting ready for a vibrant future with a yearlong celebration. Study extra at suu.edu/125.