The Secret Mountain Town Where Utah Pioneers Built Red Brick Mansions at 6,600 Feet

Panguitch, Utah

In south-central Utah’s high plateau country, sits a small town that was founded by Mormon pioneers in 1864. The name “Panguitch” meaning ‘big fish’ in Paiute refers to the rainbow trout that swims in the lake waters.

Just a few miles from Bryce Canyon National Park, the town’s Main Street still has its original red brick buildings from the late 1800s. Here’s everything you need to know.

Feats of Mormon Spirit

The town was founded in 1864 by four Mormon families. The settlers sought agricultural opportunities in the fertile valley near Panguitch Lake. But that first year was cold and the crops froze.

Seven brave men set out on a 40-mile journey to Parowan to get flour, but the snow was too deep to walk through normally. By laying quilts (handsewn by their wives and daughters) on the snow, they made a path that kept them from sinking.

Mascot Hall Has Resilient Walls

The Panguitch Social Hall, built in 1890, shows off the town’s building skills. It features a curved roof and walls that are three bricks thick.

It was originally heated by two pot-bellied wood-burning stoves, and during summer, wide double doors on either side provided ventilation. Archives of local newspapers or community bulletins indicate the place was used for dances and theatrical performances. ​

Rock Art From Native Americans

Near Cedar City, there’s ancient artwork carved and painted into the rocks at the Parowan Gap, about 13 miles northwest. Over 1500 petroglyphs were made by the Fremont people who lived here between 1 AD to 1300 AD.

They left behind drawings of hunting scenes and spiritual symbols, including deer and bighorn sheep. The famous “Zipper Glyph” is believed to represent a calendrical system or a travel route used by Native Americans.

The Red Cliffs Around Town

The red cliffs around Panguitch feature rocks drenched in iron and sandstone. Over millions of years, huge forces pushed these rocks up from sea level to their current height in the mountains.

The Kayenta Formation, consisting of reddish-brown sandstones, siltstones, and conglomerates, dates to the Early Jurassic period, approximately 190 million years ago.

The Markagunt Plateau has lave tubes relatively younger, dating back to the Pleistocene epoch, less than 1 million years ago.

Farmers Grow Special Potatoes

Panguitch sits high in the mountains with a short growing season. But potato varieties like Russets, Yukon Gold, and Red Norlands became famous because the mountain soil, cool weather, and lake water gave the potatoes a special taste.

Farmers in Panguitch used cold frames (small greenhouses) to extend the growing season for their potatoes. Another method included planting potatoes in raised beds or hills for better drainage.

The Panguitch Historic District

The district showcases a mix of Victorian Eclectic and Queen Anne elements, such as square towers and pyramidal roofs. Panguitch contains 379 buildings (like the Carnegie Library) lining both sides of Main Street, looking much like they did when they were built.

Most were constructed primarily using a unique soft-edge, deep red brick. Even the storefronts still have their original iron columns, plus the big windows where shops once displayed their goods.

There Are Traces of a Railroad

Back in the 1890s, Panguitch almost became an important stop on a railroad line between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. Engineers mapped out the route and the town got ready for big changes.

Tough mountain terrain and money problems forced the railroad to take a different path through Cedar City instead. You can still see traces of the planned railroad in the hills around town, where workers started cutting through the land

Panguitch’s First Public Schools

Panguitch’s first public school was a three-story red brick building, now home to the city office and library. A yellow brick high school was later built to the east in the 1930s and served until 1985.

The Panguitch Indian School, operating from 1904 to 1909, primarily housed Utah Paiutes and Kaibab Paiutes. Its legacy includes the discovery of over a dozen graves of Native American children.

Today, Panguitch School (PK-6) and Panguitch High School continue the town’s educational tradition within the Garfield County School District.

About the Lake Dam Crisis

In April 2024, a 60-foot crack in the Panguitch Lake Dam sent water rushing into Panguitch Creek, prompting evacuations and a flash flood watch. Authorities closed Utah State Route 143 while state officials closely monitored the situation.

The surge in water levels posed safety risks, prompting urgent repairs. Crews added rocks to the downstream side of the dam and created trenches across the ice to alleviate pressure.

Controlled water releases brought down reservoir levels by over 26 inches from their initial measurement.

Stargazing At its Best

Just outside town, Panguitch Lake offers high elevation and minimal light pollution, perfect for catching the Milky Way on a clear night sky.

The city park, in the heart of the town, offers unobstructed views of the surrounding mountains and open skies. Drive north from Panguitch on Highway 89 if you want to observe the Orion or Ursa Major.

Dark areas in the Dixie National Forest also provide excellent views of meteor showers and the Andromeda Galaxy.

The Annual Quilt Walk Festival

This 3-day event celebrates the community’s strength during the winter of 1866 when settlers walked 20 miles over snow carrying quilts to trade for flour.

The festival happens every June and includes quilt displays, competitions, and demonstrations of traditional quilting.

A big part of the event is the reenactment of the original quilt walk, where people walk the same route to honor the settlers’ struggle.