ST. GEORGE — It’s back to the drawing board for the Springdale History and Visitor Center, as the historic home that was going to house the new center is no longer a viable option.
“Once we got down to the slab, there was a tremendous amount of structural damage,” Springdale Town Clerk Darci Carlson said. “We knew there wasn’t anything that could be fixed, so it was heartbreaking when we came to that decision that it had to be razed, because it had so much history.”
There was also damage due to termites. Ultimately, it was too costly to restore the home, she said. The Clarence and Hildred Olsen residence was built in 1928 at 680 Zion Park Boulevard, and the 1 ½-story house was a period revival cottage.
The Springdale Historic Preservation Commission has been working on the project for a few years, Carlson said. The architectural design firm has not completed the plans; however, the current scheme includes a basement, ground level and partial second story totaling approximately 3,800 square feet.
The new center’s location is in the heart of town and next to the Best Western Plus Zion Canyon Inn Suites. The house was initially associated with a motel court on 2 acres with frontage on Zion Park Boulevard. The house served as the owner/manager’s residence and the Olsen’s Cabins motel court office, later called Canyon Ranch Motel.
The house was located at the southern tip of the property, with frontage along Zion Park Boulevard. The motel court was situated to the east and extended north from the street, with mature trees and a large green space in the center.
In 2019, the Best Western hotel chain bought the property. The chain demolished three 1935 duplex units, four 1984 fourplex units and the 1984 swimming pool. After acquiring a second parcel to the west, Best Western built a lobby complex, four two-story motel buildings and a new swimming pool.
Despite “two steps forward, two steps back,” Carlson said Springdale would make the best of the situation. The situation will allow them to build a more conducive venue for different uses. She said there would be a research library on the history of Springdale and Zion Canyon included in the building.
“We will have workstations and fill that area with books, digitized photos and oral histories. Hopefully, connections to different genealogy apps that the town will host and allow people to use,” Carlson said. “We’ve got an intern from Dixie State University. She is a history major helping us create a scope of collections right now and helping us define what should be in that.”
One of the current challenges is making sure the new building will conform to the existing development standards that the town has in the present day. The building will need new landscaping and parking to comply, Carlson said.
Funding for the project has come from a variety of sources, including the Washington County Commission, town of Springdale RAP tax, grant award from the Utah Division of Arts & Museums and proceeds from a brick fundraiser. But with the new design still in progress, it is unknown what additional funds they may need to cover the cost of construction. The Springdale Town Council is committed to this project and has pledged its ongoing support, Carlson said.
According to the Springdale History and Visitors Center’s fundraiser website, the public can donate customized bricks that will be installed in an outdoor plaza next to the new building.
Ryan Gubler, Springdale director of parks and recreation, said he plans to incorporate the Cedar Band of Paiutes Indian Tribe of Utah’s history into the new building.
Indigenous people settled Zion Canyon before the pioneers arrived. The earliest inhabitants were the Basketmaker culture, around 500 A.D. Their settlement appeared continuous until the Anasazi abandoned the Zion area around 1200 A.D. The earliest Europeans who arrived in the area found the Paiute people cultivating crops along the Virgin River.
“We’ll create a calendar of exhibits and during certain times every year would be dedicated to the Paiutes and give them an opportunity to do whatever they want to bring to the rest of us,” Gubler said.
The town is working with community partners and searching for grants to assist fundraising. The center recently received a grant from Utah Arts and Museums funded by the State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts. According to their website, the Utah Arts and Museum program’s mission is to advance museums’ value within Utah and enable the broadest physical, intellectual and emotional access to collections and programs.
Gubler thanked Jeff Carlson, chair of the Springdale Historic Preservation Commission, for putting together some applications for grants.
The Washington County Commission approved $390,000 in tourism dollars to Springdale to construct and maintain an incoming visitor and history center a couple years ago. Springdale officials expect the museum to be an attraction for tourists who may be interested in learning more about the town’s history.
In 1862, settlers arrived and Springdale featured homesteads on either side of the winding road into Zion Canyon. The center will offer exhibits, presentations, hands-on experiences and highlight the history of the people who lived there and how they impacted the community.
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