St. George's Historic Sites: The Temple, Pioneer Homes, and Downtown

St. George was settled in the 1860s as a Mormon cotton mission, and that pioneer history is still standing all over downtown. Whether or not you have any connection to it, the old buildings are worth an hour or two, and most of it is free.

The Temple

The St. George Utah Temple is the landmark, a big white building visible from much of town and the longest-operating temple the LDS Church has, finished back in 1877. It recently reopened after a major, years-long renovation. You cannot go inside unless you are a member, but the grounds are beautiful and open to everyone, and the visitors center on-site is open daily with tours and history.

The pioneer homes

A short distance away, the Brigham Young Winter Home is where the church president spent his last winters and oversaw the temple's construction, with free guided tours daily. Out in Santa Clara, about seven miles west, the Jacob Hamblin Home tells the story of one of the area's key early settlers and his role with the local tribes. Also free, also worth it.

Downtown and the Tabernacle

The St. George Tabernacle downtown is a gorgeous New England-style building that locals call the Jewel in the Desert, and it anchors the historic core around Ancestor Square. Park once and you can walk the temple grounds, the tabernacle, the winter home, and the old commercial blocks in an easy morning.

Go early in summer, since a lot of this is outdoors, and give yourself time to just wander. It is a genuinely pretty, walkable slice of Utah history.