Beauty, opportunity makes St. George cynic a believer

Growing up in Cedar City, I never had any intention of making St. George my home. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy occasionally coming to the “big city” to shop for clothes or visit my grandparents, but there’s something about the generations-old line dividing Cedar City and St. George that’s hard to ignore.

Cedar High Redman to the core, I’d spent my high school years knocking the Flyers, the Panthers and the Warriors. Back then, there was only one high school in Cedar City so our closest fiends were all located in Utah’s Dixie.

After thoroughly enjoying four years at Southern Utah University, I found myself accepting a job in the last place I expected to live — St. George. To my surprise, after just a short time in the area I was enamored with the beauty of my surroundings, the increased options for entertainment and the wonderfully warm climate. I also discovered a friendly, welcoming community full of opportunities for education, recreation and cultural growth.

After several years here, my decision to continue life in St. George was further solidified when I married my husband, a St. George boy born and raised who proudly claims to have enough red dirt in his shoes to keep him in Dixie forever.

Luckily, I can proclaim my love for this area without completely turning my back on my hometown. I have discovered you can develop a love for two communities — much like a parent making room for another child in their life.

After being listed in numerous national magazines as one of the best places to retire and the ideal location for this and that, St. George is getting its fair share of well-deserved recognition. But those of us lucky enough to live here don’t need a national poll to tell us we live in the greatest place on earth. All I have to do is step outside and catch a glimpse of the red hills contrasted against the blue mountains of Pine Valley, or stand at the finish line of the St. George Marathon, cheering on strangers to personal victory as tears form in my eyes. A recent trip to Snow Canyon State Park reminded me once again how fortunate it is to have these natural wonders at our fingertips and an evening at one of the many nearby theatrical productions tells me I don’t have to travel farther than my own backyard to see a Broadway-quality play.

In case you’re new to the area or just haven’t explored the endless possibilities for recreation, arts and more, we’re here to help. Dig into a little bit of Dixie history and discover how far we’ve come in From Humble Beginnings (p. 18). Take a look at what we can expect growth-wise in the coming years (Economic Growth p. 23). Explore some of the area’s best trails (center map p. 46-47) and revel in the bragging rights for several of Southern Utah’s most notable events and activities (Southern Utah’s Braggin’ Rights p. 45) Driving toward Cedar City this time of year, I’m still amazed by the beauty of the brightly colored leaves splashed across the mountains surrounding my childhood
home and I revel in nostalgia of my years there. But the return trip down I-15 toward St. George brings similar thrills as I drop into the valley settled so long ago by pioneers and realize that, indeed, this is the place.

Assistant Editor, St. George Magazine
lisa@stgeorgemagazine.com