If you really want to get in touch with the culture and history of southern Utah, you need to delve into pioneer past — including a trip to the Brigham Young Winter Home.
Brigham Young Winter Home
Located in downtown St. George, Utah, the Brigham Young Winter Home is a historic residence and museum where Brigham Young lived during the cold-weather months.
Who was Brigham Young?
Known to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the second prophet and president of the church, Brigham Young is touted throughout history as one of the foremost Mormon pioneers.
After Latter-day Saint church founder, Joseph Smith, was killed in 1844, Brigham Young was instated as the prophet and president of what was often referred to as “the Mormon Church.”
Because of persecution aimed at the Latter-day Saints in the years leading up to Joseph Smith’s death, as well as in time following his death, Brigham Young determined to find a place for the members of the church to live. Somewhere beyond the then-boundaries of the United States.
Led by what Brigham Young and his followers felt to be inspiration, the group of Mormon Pioneers eventually made their way to the Salt Lake Valley. They established a community there. But it wasn’t long after that Brigham Young determined there was a great need to establish other communities throughout the territory. One of those communities was St. George, Utah, where the Brigham Young Winter Home sits.
Settling St. George
Although Brigham Young was busy establishing the community in Salt Lake City and the surrounding area, he organized groups to settle at regular intervals throughout what is now the state of Utah. One such settlement was St. George, which was to be a cotton-growing mission. It earned the nickname “Utah’s Dixie.”
By this time, Brigham Young was getting on in years and the warmer temperatures were deemed better for his arthritis. So, the Brigham Young Winter Home became part of the St. George landscape in 1871.
Brigham Young Winter Home | history
The Brigham Young winter home was built in 1871. Then, in 1873 a front extension was added to the structure. Brigham Young died in 1877. At that time the land for the Brigham Young winter home was willed to a local dentist by the name of Judd Gates. However, the property was abandoned until Georgius Cannon Young, one of Brigham Young’s descendants, purchased the lot and restored it. It opened as a museum and landmark in 1971.
Tours of the Brigham Young Winter Home
Tour guides of the Brigham Young Winter Home love to say that Brigham Young was the area’s first snowbird.
Miles Romney designed the home — yes, of the Mitt Romney line. Later, Miles’ son, Miles Park Romney built the additional structure. Today, tour groups can go through the home itself, as well as on the surrounding grounds, learning facts about the early pioneer settlers, Brigham Young and the life in the late 1800s.
With several other restored pioneer homes in the area, the Brigham Young Winter Home neighborhood is a pleasant place for a stroll.
The Brigham Young Winter Home is located at 200 N. 100 West, St. George, Utah. Tour times vary based on the season, but generally 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with extended summer hours.
Inside the Brigham Young Winter Home
The beautiful green-trim exterior of the Brigham Young Winter Home invites guests in from the street. Inside, the beautiful pioneer simplicity of some of the rooms is intriguing. And the functionality of the space gives insight into the home’s use.
Large paintings, a piano, beautiful dining set, a pioneer-style doll and more give all the personal touches one might expect from a home-turned museum.
Outside the windows, you can catch a glimpse of the grounds — and you can walk through them if you choose — the missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints maintain the group. These same missionaries give the tours.
Feedback from the tours
Maybe you are a member of the Latter-day Saints church and know all about the Brigham Young Winter Home history. Or maybe you’ve never heard of a Mormon. Either way, you stand to gain a lot while touring this pioneer home.
Would you like to live somewhere with so much history, and a home that you c an tour? Check out these great non-pioneer home listings here.
