Kane County Utah

Native Americans

Long before pioneers reached Utah Native Americans were abundant here. Stone knifes that were left behind show that Paleo-Indians lived in the area around 11,500 B.C. http://www.nps.gov

http://www.thefurtrapper.com

Large Paleolithic knife similar to those found in Kane county, Utah

"Paleo-Indian" is the name given by archeologists to mark the earliest known inhabitants of the land. Over the next 9,000 years Native Americans that archeologists refer to as "Archaic tribes" continued to develop new skills to better live and adapt to their land.

The next best known tribe to inhabit the area are the Anasazi. From about 500 to 1300 A.D. the Anasazi built permanent and semi-permenent dwellings, developed agriculture, and produced lots of pottery, and rock art. http://www.nps.gov/glca/historyculture/people.htm

http://www.pbase.com/image/111887062

Defiance House, Anasazi dwelling in Glen Canyon

http://www.flickriver.com/photos/tags/defiancehouse/interesting/

Defiance House, Anasazi dwelling in Glen Canyon

Following the Anasazi from 1300 to 1850 A.D. were the Paiute, Navajo, and Hopi, according to http://www.nps.gov/glca/historyculture/people.htm but there are many other tribes that lived close by and may have stayed in the area.

http://content.lib.utah.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/USHS_Class/id/20811

Paiute children from southern Utah

http://www.businessinsider.com/history-of-washington-dc-life-2011-11?op=1

Navajos were great sheep herders and became well known for their woven rugs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nampeyo,_Hopi_pottery_make

Hopi were known for their apartment style housing and fine arts.

History - How Kane county became Kane county

When members of a newly formed religion, who called themselves Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) were pushed from their settlements in Illinois and Missouri, they moved west. In 1847 they arrived in the Great Basin in northern Utah http://www.livingplaces.com. in 1858 Jacob Hamblin and other mormons explored and tried to settle in what is now Kane county, Utah.

http://www.flag-post.com/july-24-celebrating-pioneer-day-utah/

Mormon pioneer family moving west

In 1858 Jacob Hamblin and other mormons explored and tried to settle what is now Kane county, Utah. But increasing tensions between the encroaching Mormons and Native tribes led to the Black Hawk War which forced settlers from Kane and other counties.

http://www.ilovehistory.utah.gov/place/counties/kane.html

Kane county jail house, date unknown

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Hawk_War_(1865–72)

Ute warrior and his wife

In 1870 a man by the name of Levi Stewart was sent by a Mormon leader named Brigham Young (who was still living in the Great Basin area in northern Utah) to once again settle the city of Kanab in Kane county. Then again in 1874 Brigham Young sent Jacob Hamblin to the same area to help expand the church.

http://www.ilovehistory.utah.gov/place/counties/kane.html

Women of Kanab, Utah

So how did Kane county end up being named Kane county? Mormons named the county after a man named Colonial Thomas L. Kane, who had acted as a friend, activist, and peace keeper for the Mormons.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_L._Kane

man that Kane county was named after

Agriculture and Industry

From 1870's to early 1900's Kane county was only made up of farming and ranching families.

In the 1920's a movie called the Deadwood Coach was filmed in the area and Kane county quickly became a popular tourist attraction. More films were made here and the area quickly got the nick name Little Hollywood.

http://clarkholzworth.wordpress.com/tag/history/

Deadwood Coach, the first Hollywood film made in Utah

http://www.kanabguide.com/articleDetails.cfm?recordID=16

Making of a movie in Kane county, Utah

***Interesting Fact*** Over 300 movies and t.v. shows were filmed in Kane county between the 1930's and 1990's http://www.kanabguide.com/articleDetails.cfm?recordID=16

In 1957 a dam was built in Page Arizona that would forever change the landscape and economy of Kane county, Utah. With the popularity Hollywood was creating, and the making of Lake Powell with the construction of Glen Canyon Dam, combined with the establishment of National and state parks in the area, Kane county was becoming a tourist hot spot.

http://www.grandcanyontrust.org

Glen Canyon Dam in Page Arizona

Hiding under the Grand Staircase National Monument are enormous coal reserves. In 1997 the estimated value of the coal reserves was around $330 billion! http://geology.utah.gov/online/c/c-93/ But with the Grand Staircase being apart of the protected National Monument any thoughts to mine the area will need to be carefully considered.

Recreation

Hiking, biking, camping, photography, canyoneering, night sky watching, boating, fishing, horseback riding, nature viewing, off road driving, golf, and winter activities.