Adair Spring

This spring was where Utah's Dixie began. Samuel Adair led ten families out of Payson in March 1857 and reached this water on April 15, the first of the cotton missionaries to arrive. They tried a spot down by the Virgin River — the "Sand Plot" — but the apostle Amasa Lyman, passing through, told them to move back up to the spring, and they did. In early May, Robert Covington brought twenty-eight more Southern families to join them, and the settlers gathered here for a two-day meeting, praying and singing and choosing Covington to lead their new branch.

What the plaque says

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.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm — 6.9 mi
  Real dinosaur footprints preserved in ancient sandstone
• Snow Canyon State Park — 8.9 mi
  Red and white sandstone cliffs with ancient lava flows
• Hurricane Canal Trail — 13 mi
  The hand-dug canal that built Hurricane, now a walking trail blasted into the Virgin River gorge
• Grafton Ghost Town — 24 mi
  A photogenic ghost town used in the film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

More markers nearby

• Adair Spring The Birthplace Of Utah's dixie Washington City Utah — steps away
• Covington Mansion (3) Markers — steps away
• Temple Timber Trail — steps away
• Relief Society Building Built 1857 — 0.3 mi