Warning (2): include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.head.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 53]
Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.head.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 53]
Warning (2): include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.resource.root.html) [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 54]
Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 54]

Saint George Art Museum

47 East 200 North
Saint George, UT 84770

435-627-4525

Mission Statement:

The Mission of the St. George Art Museum is to educate all visitors through quality exhibitions from all periods, cultures, and media, as well as to collect, conserve, inventory, exhibit, and interpret art and artifacts from Utah and the West.

History:

The building which is now the St. George Art Museum was originally built in the 1930's to store beet seed for a sugar beet factory. The Utah-Idaho Sugar Company, after determining that sugar beet seed was a good "cash" crop, built the building in 1934, using it along with the already existing opera house and another building which is now the Social Hall. This was the start of a business that would last for nearly fifty years.

Sugar beets were planted in the Washinton Fields and Bloomington in the fall. Due to the mild-winter climate in Utah's Dixie, the crop could stay in the ground over winter. In the spring, the beets would sprout and grow to several feet high and then fall over. The plants would then be harvested and hauled by horse-drawn wagons to the factory where they would undergo a process to remove the seed and sort it into different sizes and varieties. The seed was cleaned, treated for disease and stored in bins.

Warehouse No. 3, as it was referred to at that time, (which is now the new St. George Art Museum) was where the seed was stored. There were 15 bins which each held 80,000 to 130,000 pounds of seed. From the bins, the seed was put into three sizes of bags, 20, 25, and 50 pounds and then stored until it was shipped. Shipping was done by hauling the bags to Cedar City where it was sent by train to sugar beet plants in West Jordan, Utah; Idaho Falls, Idaho; Montana, and Washington. After 1955 the seed was all shipped with trucking firms until the sugar company closed in 1979.

The building was vacant after 1979 and became home to mice and pigeons and an eyesore to the community. Through the vision, generosity, and hard work of the community and city officials, the ultimate dream to restore the building as part of the St. George's historic district was realized in 1997 when it became the beautiful new home of the Art Museum.

Please use "Flag This Place" to alert us about content that is inappropriate or needs immediate attention. Nothing you submit will be shared with other site visitors.
Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide

AARP Events for Saint George

View All AARP Events

image of two AARP membership cards
Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal
  • Immediate access to your member benefits
  • Discounts on travel and everyday savings
  • Subscription to AARP The Magazine
  • FREE second membership
Join AARP
Already a member? Renew or Print Card

Contact AARP
Utah

Warning (2): include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html) [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 242]
Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 242]
Warning (2): include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html) [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 243]
Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 243]
Warning (2): include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.resource.footer.root.html) [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244]
Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.resource.footer.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244]