Adair Spring
Birthplace of Utah's Dixie
In early 1857 Brigham Young called a group of Southerners on a cotton mission to southern Utah to raise cotton. Samuel Newton Adair, the leader of ten families, arrived at this spot Apr. 15, 1857, after leaving Payson, Utah on Mar. 3. They camped here a short time and then moved down near the Virgin River on what became known as the "Sand Plot." Apostle Amasa M. Lyman who was passing through the area recommended that they move back to the spring area which they did. Robert Dockery Covington arrived here May 5 or 6, 1857, with 28 more southern families. They left the Salt Lake area shortly after the L.D.S. Spring Conference held around Apr. 6. On May 6 or 7 a two day meeting was held at this sight under direction of Isaac C. Haight, President of the Parowan Stake. They sang, prayed and selected Robert D. Covington to be President of the L D S branch, and Harrison Pearce and James B. Regan as assistants. Wm. R. Slade and James D. McCullough were appointed Justices of the Peace, John Hawley and James Matthews as constables, G.R. Coley was stray pound keeper and Wm R. Slade, Geo Hawley and G. W. Spencer as school trustees. They named their city Washington. It was too late to plant wheat, so they prepared the ground for corn and went right to work making dams and ditches to water their crops. Their first homes were their wagon boxes, willow and mud huts and dugouts dug in the bank east of this monument. Their new home soon was called "Dixie." Those who came in the spring of 1857 were:
Adair, George W. • Adair, John R. • Adair, Joseph • Adair, Newton (L.N.) • Adair, Samuel • Adair, Thomas • Clark, John W. • Coley, Gabriel Reynolds • Couch, John Jr. • Couch, John Sr. • Covington, Robert D. • Crawford, William H. • Dameron, William • Dodge, Enoch • Duggins, William (Dugas) • Fream, William • Freeman, John W. • Hatfield, Joseph (Hadfield) • Hawley, George • Hawley, John • Hawley, William • Holden, J. • Johnson, Alfred • Lloyd, Robert • Mangum, John • Mangum, William • Matheny, Sims B. • Mathew, James Nichols • McCullough, James D. • Pearce, Harrison • Price, John • Reagan, James B. • Rencher, Upsted • Rickey, James • Slade, William R. • Smith, Joseph • Smith, Thomas W. • Spencer, George W. • Sprouse, Balus (Spouse) • Thomas, Preston • Tyler, Oscar • Wilkins, James B. • Young, William J. and others.
Marker is on North 200 East 0.1 miles north of East Telegraph Street, on the right when traveling north.
Courtesy hmdb.org
