Dixie (Utah)
Encyclopedia
Dixie is the nickname for southwestern Utah
. It was first settled in the early 1860s, when farmers were sent south by Brigham Young
to grow cotton, hoping to capitalize on the lack of availability of cotton due to the American Civil War
. St. George
, Grafton
, Duncans Retreat
, Adventure, and Northup were established (the latter two were abandoned after the Great Flood of 1862
). Thus the name Dixie, to honor the attempt to grow cotton, and its association with the Dixie
in the southeastern United States
. Yields in the test fields were not as high as expected, and economic viability of growing cotton was never achieved.
The main city in the area is St. George and its metropolitan area of about 150,000 residents.
The region, lying in Washington County
, has become a retirement and recreational haven due to its pleasant winter climate, many golf courses and red sandstone landscape. In the winter, temperatures rarely stay below freezing during the day. In most years there is no snowfall. The humidity is extremely low (usually below 25% in the summer), and it receives very little precipitation. Summer temperatures average around 85F (29C) with maximums averaging around 100F. The summer temperatures in this region are the hottest in the state. The record high temperature is 117°F (47°C). Dixie is one of the fastest-growing regions in the United States, being located on the edge of the Sunbelt. St. George
and its suburbs of Ivins
, Santa Clara
, and Washington
, along with Hurricane
, are the largest and fastest-growing cities within the region.
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. It was first settled in the early 1860s, when farmers were sent south by Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
to grow cotton, hoping to capitalize on the lack of availability of cotton due to the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. St. George
St. George, Utah
St. George is a city located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Utah, and the county seat of Washington County, Utah. It is the principal city of and is included in the St. George, Utah, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is 119 miles northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, and 303 miles ...
, Grafton
Grafton, Utah
Grafton is a ghost town, just south of Zion National Park in Washington County, Utah, United States. Said to be the most photographed ghost town in the West, it has been featured as a location in several films, including 1929's In Old Arizona—the first talkie filmed outdoors—and the...
, Duncans Retreat
Duncan's Retreat, Utah
-External links:* at GhostTowns.com* at Sons of Utah Pioneers...
, Adventure, and Northup were established (the latter two were abandoned after the Great Flood of 1862
Great Flood of 1862
The Great Flood of 1862 or Noachian Deluge was the largest flood in the recorded history of Oregon, Nevada and California, occurring from December 1861 to January 1862. It was preceded by weeks of continuous rains that began in Oregon in November 1861 and continued into January 1862...
). Thus the name Dixie, to honor the attempt to grow cotton, and its association with the Dixie
Dixie
Dixie is a nickname for the Southern United States.- Origin of the name :According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the origins of this nickname remain obscure. According to A Dictionary of Americanisms on Historical Principles , by Mitford M...
in the southeastern United States
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
. Yields in the test fields were not as high as expected, and economic viability of growing cotton was never achieved.
The main city in the area is St. George and its metropolitan area of about 150,000 residents.
The region, lying in Washington County
Washington County, Utah
As of the census of 2000, there were 90,354 people, 29,939 households, and 23,442 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 36,478 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile...
, has become a retirement and recreational haven due to its pleasant winter climate, many golf courses and red sandstone landscape. In the winter, temperatures rarely stay below freezing during the day. In most years there is no snowfall. The humidity is extremely low (usually below 25% in the summer), and it receives very little precipitation. Summer temperatures average around 85F (29C) with maximums averaging around 100F. The summer temperatures in this region are the hottest in the state. The record high temperature is 117°F (47°C). Dixie is one of the fastest-growing regions in the United States, being located on the edge of the Sunbelt. St. George
St. George, Utah
St. George is a city located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Utah, and the county seat of Washington County, Utah. It is the principal city of and is included in the St. George, Utah, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is 119 miles northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, and 303 miles ...
and its suburbs of Ivins
Ivins, Utah
Ivins is a city in Washington County, Utah, United States. The population was 4,450 at the 2000 census, and it was estimated at 7,205 in 2006. Although Ivins was a town in 2000, it has since been classified as a fifth-class city by state law.-History:...
, Santa Clara
Santa Clara, Utah
Santa Clara is a city in Washington County, Utah, United States. The population was 4,630 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.9 square miles , of which, 4.9 square miles of it is land and 0.04 square miles of it...
, and Washington
Washington, Utah
Washington is a city in Washington County, Utah, United States. The population was 8,186 at the 2000 census, and 18,761 as of the 2010 Census. Washington is east of St...
, along with Hurricane
Hurricane, Utah
Hurricane is a city in Washington County, Utah. Its population was 13,748 at the 2010 U.S. Census. Along with several other areas of southwestern Utah, the Hurricane area has seen a large population growth since the 1970s, and it has blended in with neighboring city of St...
, are the largest and fastest-growing cities within the region.