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Although settlers
came to Washington County as early as 1852, St. George was settled
in 1861. Mormon leader Brigham Young sent a group of pioneers to
the far reaching corner of the Territory of Utah to grow cotton
and wine grapes and harvest silk for export to the Civil War-torn
northern states. Today the cotton fields are gone, the wineries
are closed and the silk industry has given way to modern, more
prosperous businesses.
St. George, the county's largest city, lies along interstate 15
with a host of smaller communities that make up Utah's Dixie. The
advantages of the county's position along one of the nation's key
east-west routes between California and places such as Salt Lake
City, Denver and Albuquerque is making Washington County one of
the nation's fastest growing communities. The scenic area not only
provides easy access to major markets of the western United
States, it has become a destination point for countless people and
businesses looking for a better way of life and a more fruitful
atmosphere for growth and prosperity.
From 1990 to 1995, Washington County grew a staggering 50 percent
and St. George grew 61 percent, while the rest of the state
tallied up a total growth rate of 16 percent. The tiny farming
community of St. George had grown up, and the surrounding cities
followed suit.
By the end of the decade, the St. George/Zion National Park
areas of Washington County were rated among the best communities
in the country to retire by Rand McNalley, Prentice Hall, Money
and the American Association of Retired People. As a result there
was a large amount of construction of new homes in the Washington
County area.
The unprecedented growth experienced in the county has not been
limited to retirees, however. Young working families joined the
migration to Utah's Dixie to establish one of the most stable and
reliable work forces in the nation. They came for the climate, the
scenic beauty, the family atmosphere and explosive job
opportunities. Much of the growth is due to the area's competitive
construction rates and low crime.
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