9 Old-World Towns to Visit in Utah

The landlocked state of Utah is unique among the 50 U.S. states for many key reasons, but the biggest one is its history as a center for the Latter Day Saints, more commonly known as Mormons. Although first explored by the Spanish, it was the Mormons who would set up shop here in 1847 following the death of their leader and prophet, Joseph Smith. Within Utah, there are many old mid-19th-century towns with deep Mormon roots, and some go back even further. These towns host ancient Native American rock art, eclectic Victorian mansions, the earliest National Park structures, and the site where the first all-women city council was sworn in. Here are 9 Old-World towns in Utah to check out.

Ogden

Ogden was first founded as a fort called Fort Buenaventura in 1846. When Mormons came to the area the following year, they purchased the fort and incorporated it into a city in 1851. It would later become known as Junction City due to its position by the Union Pacific and Central Pacific rail lines. However, the city would later grow so crime-ridden that even Al Capone would say that Ogden was too wild for him. Those crime days are long past it, but visitors can learn a lot about the history of Ogden by visiting Union Station Depot, a reconstructed 1923 building that houses the Utah State Railroad Museum, Browning Firearms, and Myra Powell Gallery. In addition, in the Eccles Avenue Historic District, visitors can see historic mansions in a place that had more millionaires per capita than any other U.S. city. Some of these include the 1890 Andrew J Warner Residence, a beautiful structure built in the Queen Anne style with red brick and Romanesque sandstone columns.

Holladay

Founded in 1847, Holladay was the first village to be set up away from Salt Lake City. The town attracted a good deal of settlers due to its spring-fed stream called Spring Creek. It is also the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in the state, as Salt Lake City itself was abandoned briefly in 1857 during the Utah War. Holladay is a must-visit place for anyone interested in turn-of-the-century style architecture. One such example is the two-story Morton A. Cheesman House built in 1912-1913 in a Craftsman style with stucco and cobblerock, which is unusual for a house of its size. The 1902 John P. Cahoon House is also noteworthy for its Victorian Eclecticism style and has earned a reputation for being one of the best homes outside of Salt Lake City. Holladay also hosts several beautiful hikes, such as Heughs Canyon, which runs by Olympus Waterfall, and a strenuous hike up Mt. Olympus itself.

Taylorsville

In the Salt Lake Valley, Taylorsville was first settled in 1848 by Joseph and Susanna Harker, who were originally from England. The town was originally called Over Jodan due to its location by the Jordan River. Its residents are deeply proud of their history, which is preserved within the Taylorsville-Bennion Heritage Center inside of the 19th-century Jones Home. Within this museum, visitors can see a claw foot bathtub and a chain water closet and see local documents of the first three families that lived here: the Harkers, Bennions, and Mackays. The museum also hosts a schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, and 19th-century music room. For art lovers, Taylorsville hosts the Mid-Valley Performing Arts Center, run by the Taylorsville Arts Council, which regularly hosts art shows, movies, musicals, and more.

Kanab

Kanab was first settled in 1864 as a fort to defend against local Native American nations and would later see Mormon families moving into the area. This isolated town is today a major center for outdoor explorers due to its close proximity to Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon. There are also several unique buildings to explore in Kanab, such as the Kanab Heritage House, built in 1894 by Henry Bowman and renowned as the first modern home in the area with its towers, rich colors, and history, such as being the site in 1912 when the first all-woman city council was sworn into office. Visitors can learn more about this event and see other historic town artifacts at the Kanab Museum.

Mount Pleasant

Settlers arrived in the early 1850s to establish a small settlement near Mount Pleasant, but in time, the area became known as quite diverse due to the large number of immigrants coming into the town. In fact, by 1880, it was common for five languages to be heard in the town's borders. These immigrants left their mark on the town's architecture, such as the Fredrick C. Jensen House, built in 1891 by a Danish immigrant. This house combines various styles, from Classical Revival to Second Imperial to Carpenter Gothic, giving it an eclectic appearance. Another example is the Morten Rasmussen House, a two-story red brick house from 1875 that utilized the older Federal style. For adventurous travelers willing to go the extra mile, there's a ghost town not far from Mount Pleasant called Thistle, founded in 1883, that was abandoned in 198 due to a landslide. There is still a red schoolhouse and church to see in this mysterious place.

Huntsville

Huntsville, in the Ogden Valley next to the South Fork River, was settled by seven families in 1860. Despite much of its population being Mormon, Huntsville wasn't above entertaining a few vices. In fact, it is home to the oldest operating saloon in the entire state: the Shooting Star Saloon, which has been in operation since 1879. Speaking of Mormonism, visitors can see the home of David O. McKay, who was the ninth president of the church until 1980. The Huntsville History Center offers tours of this house and the Robert F. Aldous Cabin, the first cabin in town built in 1861. Huntsville also contains a Trappist Cistercian monastery set up in 1947 that has since been transformed into a working farm and wildlife habitat for endangered lynx and yellow-billed cuckoos.

Monticello

Named after the famous estate run by President Thomas Jefferson, Monticello was first settled in 1887 by Mormon pioneers. It would see a boom in its population in the 1940s when uranium mines were opened in the nearby area. Visitors can learn about its settler history at the Frontier Museum, which tells the story of how pioneers farmed, lived, and raised cattle. However, the best historical sites in Monticello date back thousands of years prior to its founding. The Newspaper Rock State Historic Monument features petroglyphs made by various Native American people groups going back 2,000 years. Visitors will be enchanted by these ancient drawings of horses, buffalo, and humans. Also in the larger San Juan County is Alkali Ridge, which preserves a Pueblo village from circa 450 to 750 A.D.

Moab

In Southeastern Utah, Moab would see a great deal of New Mexican travelers passing through on the Spanish Trail between Sante Fe and Los Angeles. Mormon missionaries would attempt to set up a settlement in 1855, but they were driven off by Native Americans. It wasn't until 1878 that a permanent settlement was established in Moab. Much like Monticello, Native Americans left their mark on this area with petroglyphs, which can be seen in many places, such as the Wolfe Ranch Rock Art, featuring figures on horseback in Arches National Park and rock panel art dating from 3,500 BC to 250 AD in Kane Creek Canyon. Visitors can get a fuller picture of Moab's history at the Moab Museum, which includes dinosaur bones, information on hunter-gatherer tribes in the area, baskets from the late 800s to early 1000s, and a virtual 19th-century living room.

Springdale

The area around Springdale was settled in 1862 by Mormons who were aiming to establish a Cotton Mission in the southern part of the state. It would later become a center for outdoor enthusiasts with the dedication of Zion National Park in 1920. Within the park, visitors can find not only trails but also historic turn-of-the-century structures such as the Zion Nature Center-Zion Inn, built in 1934 and featuring unique rubblestone pilasters at each corner. There is also the Zion Lodge Historic District, featuring several buildings from the 1920s and 1930s built in the Underwood National Park Service Rustic style, such as Male and Female Dormitories and cabins. The oldest building in the park is the Museum-Grotto Resident, a red brick rustic structure built in 1924 that served as the first visitor's center for the park.

Exploring Utah’s Timeless Treasures

Utah doesn’t have the longest history in terms of European settlement, but it still has many stories to tell within its Old-World small towns. Visitors can soak in the beautifully preserved artwork of ancient Native American civilizations while learning about the lives of early Mormon pioneers at local museums and houses. Despite this religious history, Utah also maintains its status as an Old West landmark with historic saloons to visit. There's always something new(and old) to discover in these small towns.