These Small Towns in Utah Have the Best Historic Districts
Utah has always been famous for its mirror-like lakes and snow-capped mountains in the winter. However, what makes this state even more iconic are the historic districts in each city. These charming towns in Utah are living testaments to the state’s rich history and architectural heritage.
From Spring City's LDS Meetinghouse to Bountiful Utah Temple, the historic districts throughout the Beehive State feature classical religious architecture that has survived the test of time. Tourists will also appreciate how these areas reflect each town’s old livelihood, history, and culture. Whether learning about the livestock industry in Escalante or Hurricane’s booming agriculture industry, strolling around these historic districts can reveal a lot about the early days of Utah.
Escalante
Escalante is part of the Garfield County in southern Utah. Surrounding this historic town is the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, known for unique rock formations, rugged canyons, and towering cliffs. The town’s Historic District features an architectural design reflecting the town’s livestock industry, which was the locals’ primary source of livelihood from 1876 to 1920.
Today, Escalante Historic District has 124 residences, including a mixture of cross-wing, bungalows, foursquare, and hall parlor types of homes. Historic buildings are booming with unique Victorian styles. Aside from the Historic District, Escalante is renowned for outdoor recreation, including Camp Creek Falls Recreation Area Campground.
Hurricane
Hurricane is a picturesque city in Washington County in the southwestern part of the state. The town has a charming historic district that preserves its early pioneer history. Initially settled in 1896, Hurricane boasts a rich agricultural heritage, with early settlers engaging in cotton farming.
The town’s Historic District features well-preserved structures dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, providing a glimpse into the town's past. Visitors can see residential and commercial buildings, as well as the Hurricane Canal. Residential properties boast Victorian architecture, with single-story foursquare cottages, cross-wings, Period Revival cottages, and bungalows. On the other hand, commercial buildings are mainly designed with brick, with the Dixie Hostel being one of the most iconic landmarks. This hotel is designed with the Spanish Colonial Revival Architecture. Tourists can also visit the Hurricane Library, a structure built with sandstone.
Spring City
Spring City in central Utah is a charming town in Sanpete County and is one of Utah's well-preserved rural agricultural towns. Spring City Historic District has more than 350 historic buildings, each with unique architecture radiating the town’s agricultural industry. One of the highlights is the 1900 to 1914 stone LDS Meetinghouse in the central downtown area.
Most residences in the Historic District date back to 1865 to 1900 and are designed with vernacular architecture. The homes range from single-room log cabins to parlor houses and two-story structures. Moreover, stone and brick are the primary building materials of the district’s residential homes. Visitors will enjoy strolling and touring around the Historic District to appreciate these well-maintained pioneer-style homes. Other landmarks include the Bishop’s Storehouse, the Orson Hyde’s Office, and the Relief Society Granary. These buildings are related to the LDS Church.
Price
The Carbon County town of Price is in the Castle Valley region and is renowned for its rich history and mining and energy industries. Travelers visiting this town should spend a day touring around Main Street, Price’s historic district. The Main Street comprises buildings reflecting Carbon County’s commercial core in the early 20th century. Tourists can see the area’s prosperity from 1910 to 1960 with the classical architecture and sophisticated building materials. A wide selection of mining and coal trading businesses, managed mainly by Greek and Italian immigrants interested in Carbon County’s abundant coal mines, dominate Main Street. These buildings are mainly inspired by the Spanish Colonial Revival, the Italian Renaissance, and Beaux-Arts. Other iconic landmarks include the Carbon County Courthouse and the United Methodist Church.
Payson
Payson is in Utah County, in the southern part of the state’s metropolitan area, within the Utah Valley. Payson has a rich history dating back to its settlement in 1850 by Mormon pioneers. Over the years, it has evolved into a community that balances its historical roots with modern amenities.
The Payson Historic District has over 400 buildings, with residential family homes dominating the area. Most buildings use adobe and brick, with earlier adobe homes covered in brick veneers and stucco. Only in the early 1900s did Payson’s economy grow, leading to more Victorian-style brick homes in the Historic District. Located in a historic building that was once the Peteetneet School, the Peteetneet Museum is a cultural and historical center. The museum showcases exhibits on local history, including artifacts, photographs, and documents that highlight the development of Payson and the surrounding area. Travelers can also view the Christopher F. Dixon Jr. House, John Dixon House, the Samuel Douglass House on the Main Street, and the Payson Presbyterian Church on the South Main Street.
Copperton
Copperton is a small community in Salt Lake County, Utah. The community was initially established to support mining operations in the area. The primary purpose of establishing Copperton was to provide housing for mine workers and the families of the Utah Copper Company. The mining operations in the area, notably the Bingham Canyon Mine, have been historically significant in terms of copper production.
Copperton Historic District has over 200 residential homes, ranging from period cottages to bungalows. Bungalows boast massive front porches with rafters. On the contrary, cottages have Spanish Colonial Revival and English Tudor styles. The grand architectural firm responsible for the historic district’s house plans and layout was Scott and Welch in Salt Lake City.
Bountiful
In Davis County, you will come across the town of Bountiful, part of the larger Salt Lake City metropolitan area known for having a family-friendly environment and suburban atmosphere.
Bountiful Historic District comprises some of the town’s oldest commercial and residential buildings, built in the 1870s to the 1960s. Log cabins were the earliest homes, made with stone and adobe. The architecture was inspired by Classical, Gothic Revival, and Greek styles. It was only during modern times that the construction of some buildings was changed to fired brick. Today, visitors can see Victorian-style residents and bungalows. The town is also home to the Bountiful Utah Temple, one of the temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The temple's architecture is notable and significant for the local LDS community.
Willard
Willard is a small city on Willard Bay, a reservoir created by the Willard Bay State Park dike on the Great Salt Lake. Tourists can tour around the Willard Historic District, dominated by Gothic and Greek Revival style homes with a vernacular architectural style. These residential homes range from one to two stories tall and are accompanied by high-gabled roofs.
Locally-procured stone is the primary material in most buildings and residences in the Historic District. Visitors can also notice most homes have flared window wells, maximizing the amount of light entering. The Historic District is also filled with Lombardy poplars, mulberry trees, and the oldest Box Elders.
Panguitch
Panguitch means big fish, which is interesting since this town is famous for its crystal-clear rivers, lakes, and abundant trout. Red brick structures, built by the early pioneers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, fill the Panguitch Historic District. The annual Quilt Walk Festival is also historical, commemorating the pioneers who had to wrap in thick quilts to survive cold weather. Panguitch Tabernacle Monument is an iconic landmark commemorating the Tabernacle constructed with native red brick in 1880.
A short drive from the town, Panguitch Lake is a popular destination for fishing and boating. Pine forests surround the lake and offer a serene setting for outdoor enthusiasts. Fishing opportunities include rainbow trout, brown trout, and more.
Discovering the best historic districts in the small towns in Utah unveils a journey through time, where each cobblestone street and preserved building narrates a unique chapter of the state's rich history. These towns serve as living archives, transporting visitors to eras gone by, with Main Streets echoing the footsteps of pioneers and settlers. The charm lies in these historic districts' architectural heritage and a palpable nostalgia. On your next trip to Utah, check out these historical towns for a memorable getaway.
