Historic Iron Ore Monument Finds New Home Along Cedar City Trail

A piece of Iron County history that had been tucked away and largely forgotten for over a decade is now shining in the spotlight once again.

 

On Friday, a team of workers completed the careful relocation of a 35-ton iron ore boulder and its accompanying historical monument to a newly accessible location along the Industrial Road walking and biking trail, where residents and visitors can appreciate this tangible connection to the region pioneering past.

 

The stone marker, designated as Daughters of Utah Pioneers marker No. 222, was originally installed in 1956 at the southwest corner of historic Fort Cedar, the fortified outpost constructed by Mormon settlers in the early 1850s that gave Cedar City its name and purpose. The fort walls, which according to the monument inscription measured 100 rods square (approximately 1,650 feet on each side), enclosed 63 acres and stood 9 feet high with bases 3 feet thick.

 

However, approximately 15 years ago, the monument was moved from its original location and placed behind industrial buildings on a little-used dirt road running west of Interstate 15. The massive iron ore chunk, believed to be a remnant from Cedar City iron mining and refining era that helped establish the community economic foundation, was positioned alongside it. There they sat, hidden from public view and largely forgotten by newer generations of residents.

 

This is a marker that we are relocating onto Industrial Road, explained Aleese Cardon, chair of the Cedar City Historic Preservation Commission, as workers prepared the monument for its move. It originally was in the southwest corner of the old Cedar Fort, and it was moved about 15 years ago back behind some buildings, and now we are moving it up here to the new trail, where people can see it and appreciate it and know our history.

 

The relocation effort was a collaborative undertaking involving Cedar City Corporation employees, Schmidt Construction workers, and crane operator Don Reusch of Reusch Machine in St. George. Using specialized heavy equipment, the team carefully transported the 71,000-pound iron ore boulder approximately 100 yards to its new position adjacent to the recently constructed trail that runs along the south side of Industrial Road from 300 West to Airport Road.

 

Cedar City Council member R. Scott Phillips, who also serves on the Historic Preservation Commission, emphasized that the move represents more than just relocating a heavy rock. We are going to relocate it and make a nice sitting area for families, Phillips said. They can read about the monument and just hopefully discover history, about what Cedar City was and is, and why it was founded here in this valley.

 

The project ties into broader beautification and infrastructure improvements that Cedar City has been implementing along the south side of Industrial Road. The trail itself provides residents with safe walking and biking access while connecting different parts of the community. Now, with the historical monument and iron ore display positioned prominently alongside it, the trail offers an educational experience as well.

 

For longtime residents, the monument relocation represents a homecoming of sorts. For newer community members and visitors, it offers an opportunity to learn about Cedar City unique heritage as an iron-producing settlement established by religious pioneers who sought to create a self-sufficient community in the high desert of southern Utah.

 

The Historic Preservation Commission has indicated that this project is part of ongoing efforts to improve public access to historical markers throughout the city. As Cedar City continues to grow and evolve, preserving and highlighting these connections to its founding era helps maintain the community distinctive character and gives residents a sense of place and continuity with those who came before.

 

City officials encourage residents to visit the new monument location along the Industrial Road trail, to read about Fort Cedar history, and to reflect on the pioneering spirit that established Cedar City as the vibrant community it is today.