The Hardy House

Augustus Poore Hardy built this house in 1871, with the classical dormers typical of Dixie, and served St. George as its sheriff — which is how the house earned its scar. As the city's preservation commission tells it, Hardy was holding a man accused of murder when armed vigilantes broke in, forced the jail keys from him, and hanged the prisoner; a bullet hole remains in one of the doors. Hardy, the account adds, never got over losing a prisoner in his charge. The house still stands among the old buildings of Ancestor Square.

What the plaque says

Built by Augustus Poore Hardy in 1871, this house, with classical Dixie dormers, has quite a history. Hardy was sheriff of St. George and was holding a man accused of murder. An armed group of vigilantes broke into the house and forced the keys from the sheriff. A bullet hole can still be seen in one of the doors. The prisoner was removed from the jail and hanged. Sheriff Hardy never got over the fact that a prisoner was taken from him.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm — 2.6 mi
  Real dinosaur footprints preserved in ancient sandstone
• Snow Canyon State Park — 7.0 mi
  Red and white sandstone cliffs with ancient lava flows
• Hurricane Canal Trail — 17 mi
  The hand-dug canal that built Hurricane, now a walking trail blasted into the Virgin River gorge
• Kolob Canyons — 32 mi
  The quiet, uncrowded back door to Zion National Park

More markers nearby

• St. George Social Hall "Opera House" — steps away
• Gardners' Club Hall — steps away
• Dixie Academy — steps away
• Pioneer Courthouse — steps away