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Kane County

The high desert landscape of Kane County belongs to the Colorado Plateau geographical province. Lake Powell forms the county’s eastern boarder. Kane County’s prehistoric Indian dwellers were part of the Anasazi Culture. Archeologists have recorded hundreds of sites on Fifty Mile Mountain within the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The Southern Paiutes occupied the county in historic times.

Several towns including the county seat, Kanab, were first settled in the mid-1860s and then abandoned. In March 1874, Brigham Young encouraged the formation of a United Order at Orderville. It became one of Utah’s most long-lived experiments in communal living. In the early 1900s, most residents were farmers or ranchers. In 1922, when Deadwood Coach with Tom Mix was filmed in Kane County, the Parry brothers led in the development of lodging, food and other services for film crews. By the 1930s, Kanab was called “Little Hollywood” because so many movies were made there. Kanab also became a tourist center for visitors to Bryce Canyon, Zion and Grand Canyon National “Parks. During construction of Glen Canyon Dame near Page, Arizona, which began in 1956, Kanab’s population doubled and the economy boomed. The creation of Lake Powell brought new service industries connected with boating and fishing.

Retirees are attracted to Kane County for its mild climate and many recreational opportunities. One of the nation’s largest sanctuaries for homeless pets was opened on 3,300 acres of land outside of Kanab. On any given day, it is a refuge for 1,500 homeless dogs, cats, rabbits, horses and other abandoned animals.