WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY (Washington County, Utah)
DIXIE STATE COLLEGE
St. George, Utah
LOCATION
225 South 700 EastSt. George, UT 84770
(435)652-7500
http://www.dixie.edu
HISTORY
Originally, the school was owned and operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was turned over to state control in 1933.In 1963 Dixie Junior College moved to its new 100-acre campus.
In 1970, the names Dixie Community College and Dixie College started to be used.
The 1972 school year saw the completion and dedication of the long awaited Student Union Building and the State Legislature officially changed the name of the College from Dixie Junior College to Dixie College.
The name of Dixie State College of Utah was adopted in 2000, to coincide with the institution's new mission to begin offering baccalaureate degrees. The college also officially added the Hurricane Center, an 8-acre parcel with a new education facility and a small office in Kanab providing direct access to college courses and programs to those areas.
On January 18, 2013, Dixie State College's Board of Trustees voted unanimously to rename the institution "Dixie State University". Then the following week on January 25th, the Utah State Board of Regents formally approved university status and the new university name recommendation for Dixie State. Utah State Representative Don Ipson and State Senator Steve Urquhart sponsored House Bill 61, which called for Dixie State College to attain university status and change its name to Dixie State University. Both houses of the Utah State Legislature overwhelming passed the bill on February 13. then on February 16, 2013, Governor Gary R. Herbert came down to the Dixie State campus and formally signed the bill into law, thus creating Dixie State University.
Evolution of Institution Names:
St. George Stake Academy (9/19/1911-??/??/1913)
Dixie AcademyDixie Academy (??/??/1913-??/??/1916)
Dixie Normal College (??/??/1916-??/??/1923)
Dixie Junior College (??/??/1923-??/??/1972)
Dixie College (??/??/1972-??/??/2000)
Dixie State College (??/??/2000-2/16/2013)
Dixie State University (2/16/2013-Present)
Presidents:
Dr. Robert C. Huddleston (??/??/2000-2005)
Dr. Lee G. Caldwell (2005-3/27/2008)
Dr. Stephen D. Nadauld (3/28/2008-2/16/2013)
PHOTOS
 WCHS-00866 Dixie College Sign |
 WCHS-00867 Dixie College Campus |
Other WCHS photos:
WCHS-00401 Photo of the old Student Union Building at Dixie College
WCHS-00516 Early 1980s aerial photo of Dixie State College
WCHS-03204 Photo of a Dixie College 75th Anniversary Commemorative Coin
Other photos on the web:
1980 aerial photo of Dixie State College
Postcard photo of Dixie State College
REFERENCES
Dixie State College History WebsiteDixie State College History By Year
A Dixie State College History
The College a Community Built: Part II by Lyman Hafen
Dixie State Magazine, Spring 2011, pp. 3-5, 26, and 6-9
A History of Dixie State College Land Purchase
Douglas D. Alder, " A Century of Dixie State College, 1911-2011"
Douglas D. Alder, " A Century of Dixie State College of Utah"
28th Annual Juanita Brooks Lecture
Douglas D. Alder and Karl F. Brooks, " A History of Washington County From Isolation to Destination"
pp. 236-237, 321-322, 364-365
Douglas D. Alder (former president of Dixie State College,
" History of Dixie State College" (from a pioneer high school to a modern university)
A talk given to the Washington City Historical Society on February 17, 2011.
This audio recording was made by Carl Rich of http://www.dixietoday.com.
Presidents of the Institution
Rebels Forever
Video store of football at Dixie State College of Utah
To watch, click here.
Dixie State history day; the story of a "doggedly loyal" community fighting to keep its school
by Reuben Wadsworth, St. George News, December 12, 2021