Deseret Iron Works - Utah Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

This monument marks the spot where on September 30, 1852, the first iron was manufactured west of the Mississippi River by the Mormon Iron Missionaries sent here by Brigham Young.

This 5 1/2 ton ore body was obtained from the iron deposits used by Iron Workers located about seven miles west of Cedar City in the Three Peaks area; it is about 61% Fe. The smaller specimens are some that were actually hauled by horse-drawn vehicles to this site and were found during excavations. The Blast Furnace, Foundry, Pattern Shop, Coke and Charcoal Ovens, Water wheel and Office of the early Pioneer Iron Works were located North, South, and East of this monument.

The technology of using coke was brought by these early iron workers directly from England where the use of charcoal had been out-lawed and which was a relatively new idea, especially in American iron manufacturing. In spite of floods, which inundated the Iron Works, the undependable water source and other natural and man-made difficulties, considerable iron was produced here until 1858, making the iron industry one of the leading factors in the economy of the Utah Territory.