An Inspiring Heritage

This roadside panel at Fairview marks the northern gateway of the Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area, a 250-mile corridor running south from here to the Arizona line. In November 1849 Brigham Young sent a handpicked company down into the Sanpete Valley, and the Scandinavian converts who followed made it "Little Denmark" — a chain of towns whose builders left behind co-ops, opera houses, social halls, and the Manti Temple. The heritage area gathers those threads together; Fairview, where it begins, still wears its tidy pioneer grid.

What the plaque says

"After traveling 1,400 miles from Illinois either by wagon or by pulling a handcart, the pioneer came to the Great Salt Lake Valley. Along the way, the pioneers experienced many hardships. Many people died during their journey. The Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area will serve as special recognition to the people and places that have contributed greatly to our nation's development..." -Senator Robert F. Bennett, introduction to the Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Act The Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area, spanning 250 miles, begins here in Fairview and extends southward to Utah's border with Arizona. This heritage area features breathtaking natural resources, inspiring historic stories, and fascinating cultural traditions shaped by Mormon pioneers. In November 1849, Brigham Young handpicked a group of men, women, and children to leave Salt Lake City and head south to establish a new settlement. After the success of their community in Manti, families were encouraged to move farther south along the Sevier River, where Mormon-patterned communities were established, usually seven to 10 miles apart-about one day's journey. Fairview, founded in 1859, is located in what is now the "Little Denmark district of the Mormon Pioneer Heritage Area, named so because of the influence of Scandinavian pioneers who settled the area. Many historic structures still stand in Fairview, featuring masterful Scandinavian woodwork and stained-glass skills. These are superb examples of architecture that demonstrate the way of life of the pioneers. Little Denmark's Historic Pioneer Highlights The Sanpitch Mountains on the west and the Wasatch Plateau on the east surround the charming collection of 12 small towns and communities within the Little Denmark district of the Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area. Historic buildings and pioneer sites include: Casino Star Theater Ephraim Co-op (1871) Fairview Museum of History and Art Fairview Social Hall Fountain Green Social Hall (1991) Manti Temple (1888) Moroni Opera House (1890) Mount Pleasant Pioneer Museum and Relic Home Mount Pleasant Wasatch Academy (1875) Victory Hall, Spring City The abundant and varied resources along the Hunting and Eccles Canyon National Scenic Byway have enriched people's lives throughout history and continue to do so today.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Fairview — steps away
  The north gate of the Heritage Highway, home to a near-complete Ice Age mammoth
• Mount Pleasant — 5.7 mi
  A National Register Main Street and Utah's oldest boarding school
• Spring City — 11 mi
  An entire pioneer town preserved on the National Register
• Skyline Drive — 14 mi
  A hundred miles of dirt along the 10,000-foot crest of the Wasatch Plateau

More markers nearby

• Mill Stones — steps away
• Settlement of Fairview — steps away
• Mt. Pleasant Fort — 5.8 mi
• Memorial Hall Recreation Center — 5.8 mi