Frontier Homestead State Park Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Frontier Homestead State Park Museum |
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 Frontier Homestead State Park Museum
Location in Utah
Frontier Homestead State Park Museum
Location in the United States
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| Location | Iron, Utah, United States |
| Area | 11 acres (4.5 ha) |
| Elevation | 5,800 ft (1,800 m) |
| Established | 1973 |
| Visitors | 17617 (in 2011) |
| Operator | Utah State Parks |
| Website | Official website: https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/frontier-homestead/ |
The Frontier Homestead State Park Museum is a cool place in Cedar City, Utah. It's both a state park and a museum. Here, you can learn all about the early settlers and how they lived.
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Discovering Frontier Homestead
This museum first opened its doors in 1980. It was originally called the Iron Mission State Park. This name honored the brave Mormon settlers who tried to start an iron industry here. In 2009, the park's name changed to Frontier Homestead. This happened as the park grew bigger and added more exhibits.
What You Can See at the Museum
The museum has many interesting things to explore. You can see a huge collection of old horse-drawn vehicles. These vehicles were used between 1850 and 1920. There are also many pioneer artifacts, which are items from the early settlers.
One special exhibit shows how iron was made. It features the only known piece from the original iron factory: the town bell! You can also visit several historic cabins. These cabins show what homes looked like long ago. There's also a big collection of old farm equipment. It helps you imagine how farmers worked the land.
Fun Activities and Programs
Frontier Homestead offers lots of fun activities. You can watch demonstrations of pioneer crafts. Sometimes, there are special art shows. Experts also give talks about history. You can even take guided tours behind the scenes. There's also a Junior Curator program for kids. This program lets you learn what it's like to work in a museum!
The park also takes care of the old ruins of Old Iron Town. This was an iron factory west of Cedar City. It operated in the middle of the 1800s.
The Story of the Iron Mission
When pioneers started settling in Utah in 1847, they really needed iron. Iron was important for tools and buildings. When iron was found in southern Utah, Mormon leader Brigham Young asked people to move there. They chose a spot near Coal Creek in November 1851. This area is now Cedar City.
Building the Iron Works
About ten months later, the settlers finished building a small blast furnace. This furnace was used to melt iron. They started running their iron factory. At first, the "Iron Mission" was successful. But soon, they faced many problems.
Challenges and Closure
The settlers had money troubles. They also dealt with floods and very cold weather. The furnace sometimes broke down. On top of that, they had a shortage of crops. This meant they didn't have enough food. Even with all these challenges, the people kept trying. However, the iron factory eventually closed in 1858.
See also
