Discover 4 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Parowan (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Parowan Meetinghouse, William and Julia Lyman House, and Meeks-Green Farmstead. Also, be sure to include Jesse N. Smith House in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Parowan (Utah).
Table of Contents
Parowan Meetinghouse
Building in Parowan, Utah. The Parowan Meetinghouse, sometimes referred to as the Parowan Tabernacle or the Parowan Old Rock Church is a historic meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Parowan, Utah, United States, that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[1]
William and Julia Lyman House
The William and Julia Lyman House in Parowan, Utah was constructed in c. 1895. Constructed by William and Julia Lyman, the house is common for an eighteenth-century American building construction. It is one of the few remaining houses of its kind in Parowan.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.
The house was constructed by prominent members of the community, William and Julia Lyman. Both William and Julia played important roles in Parowan. William, a cattle rancher, served three terms as mayor of the city. He also served as the Iron County representative to the Utah State Legislature from 1925 to 1926. William sat on the board of directors for the Bank of Iron County, was a school trustee for three terms, and worked as a state land appraiser and state inspector of livestock. Julia, besides handling the domestic chores, served as Parowan Stake Relief Society President, one of the highest women's callings in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was also elected to the school board and actively rallied for woman suffrage and Utah statehood.[2]
Meeks-Green Farmstead
The Meeks-Green Farmstead in Parowan, Utah was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. The listing included four contributing buildings and one contributing structure.
Constructed around 1853, the Meeks cabin was constructed after the move of a contingent from Salt Lake City to the newly founded Parowan. Priddy Meeks was one of the town's only two physicians and a member of Parowan's first city council. The Meeks cabin served as both an office and storehouse for the physician until a dispute with the other town's doctor led to Meeks' departure from Parowan in 1861.
The cabin remained in the Meeks family until it was deeded by one of Meeks' children or grandchildren to James Green in June 1904. The farmstead, including the Meeks cabin and other outbuildings, was purchased by the city of Parowan 1990. The focus of the city is to restore and maintain the farm as a preservation of early agricultural life in the area.[3]
Jesse N. Smith House
Home. The Jesse N. Smith House, located in Parowan, Utah, is a two-story home that was constructed from June 1856 to March 1858. Jesse N. Smith was asked by church leadership to assist in the settling of Parowan in 1851, where he constructed and lived in the house. The house is constructed from quarried rock, baked adobe, and hewed timber. Originally consisting of four rooms - two upstairs and two downstairs - an addition was later added to the rear of the house that consisted of four additional rooms. It is the oldest adobe structure in the state of Utah.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, and was then thought to be the oldest house surviving in southern Utah.
The house was sold to William Bentley in 1879. The building remained unoccupied for a number of years until it was purchased by the Jesse N. Smith Family Association in 1962. Restoration of the home took place between 1967 and 1969. In 2017, the renovated house exists as a museum for visitors, showcasing the history of Jesse N. Smith and his wives.[4]