DIAMOND VALLEY – At the annual Daughters of Utah Pioneers (DUP) Convention held by the Washington West Company on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, Valerie King, Honorary Chapter Regent of Color Country Chapter of the Daughters of American Revolution (DAR), St. George, Utah, presented to the McQuarrie Memorial Museum (Pioneer Museum) Board of Directors, the prestigious DAR Historic Preservation Recognition Award.
This award recognizes and honors an individual or a group that has done recent remarkable volunteer work preserving history at the community level. Historic preservation includes, buildings, landmarks, monuments, cemeteries, historic districts, statues, museum collections, manuscripts, documents, and archival materials. It also includes photography collections, and serving as historical guides, interpreters, or docents.
The award was received by Jeanine Vander Bruggen, President of the Museum Board of Directors, along with the other members of the Board.
Not only did DAR recognize the efforts by DUP Museum Board, Staff, and Docents, but a letter of recommendation was submitted by Mayor Michele Randall, expressing her appreciation for the work done by the DUP in preserving our pioneer history “under the roof of the McQuarrie Memorial Museum.”
The building, dedicated in 1938, is considered one of our historic “destination” sites for both residents and out of town visitors. Loren Webb, President of the Washington County Historical Society (WCHS), praised the positive changes made inside the Museum giving it a fresh look. As part of the desire of DUP Museum Board to expand their influence in promoting the history of the area, members supported the opening of the Pioneer Courthouse next door, under the direction of WCHS. The McQuarrie Memorial Museum Board members set up a display and supported all the activities held in the building. It has been a great partnership with the WCHS in teaching the history of the area.
About the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, the Museum, and its Board
The DUP organization was established on April 11, 1901. This is a women’s service organization dedicated to preserving the history of the original settlers of Utah. In 1921, the first company was formed in Washington County, Utah. All companies of women are chartered with preserving the history of the pioneer families who specifically settled the Washington County area in the mid 1800’s. Their collection of artifacts, relics, photographs, and stories are maintained under a building known as the Pioneer “McQuarrie Memorial” Museum located in the heart of historic downtown St. George, Utah. It was built, owned, and operated by DUP in Washington County since 1938. It is a fascinating place to visit and learn more about the sacrifices the early pioneers made to settle the Washington County area. The museum is open to the public 5 days a week and there is no admission.
DUP members volunteer all time to manage and maintain the museum and serve as docents for visitors from around the world. The large collection housed within the walls of the museum came, and still come, from descendants of those pioneers who lived and worked in this harsh area.
Jeanine Vander Bruggen, Board President, is a direct descendant of many of the early settlers, as are several of the Board members and other volunteers.
More can be found out about DUP by visiting the website – www.dupstgeorge.org. An online database is available to peruse the collection of photos, relics, and histories. https://dupstgeorge.pastperfectonline.com. The book, “Under Dixie Sun” gives a wonderful overview of the history of the communities and people of Washington County. It is available for sale at the Pioneer Museum.
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