WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY (Washington County, Utah)

HARRISBURG, UTAH

(formerly Cottonwood and Harrisville)

Miscellaneous

Histories

The first settlement in the area was Harrisburg, founded in 1861 by Moses Harris and a few Mormon families who settled along Quail Creek. It was originally located where Quail Creek Reservoir is now. But flooding during their first year caused them to move over to where Harriburg is now. Harrisburg was originally called Cottonwood and then Harrisville. Despite their efforts in digging a 5-mile-long irrigation canal along what is now known as Leeds Creek, growth was hampered by rocky soil and limited land available for farming. By 1876 Harrisburg was losing population and essentially failing. It was all but gone by 1892. Today, remnants of a few pioneer homes and the restored Adams House are all that remain of Historic Harrisburg.

LOCATION

TBD

HISTORY

TBD

Population
128 in 1864

HISTORIC SITES

Harrisburg Homes

Harrisburg Cemetery

PHOTOS

Collection of Harrisburg ghost town photos
Collection of Harrisburg ghost town photos
Collection of Harrisburg ghost town photos
A pair of photos of a house in Harrisburg

REFERENCES

A history of Harrisburg
A history of Harrisburg
A history of Harrisburg
A history of Harrisburg
Harrisburg pioneer index
Harrisburg cemetery listings
A driving tour of Silver Reef, Leeds, and Harrisburg

"Saga of Three Towns: Harrisburg - Leeds - Silver Reef"
by Marietta M. Mariger
Panguitch: Garfield County News, 1951
Also see http://www.ourlittlecircle.com/journals/saga_three_towns.html

Washington County Chapter, Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, " Under Dixie Sun".
1950 with 1978 Supplement.
Page 120-122.

"Harrisburg"
Pages 35-36 in "Selected Topics Related To Hurricane, Utah"
Written and/or compiled by Victor Hall, 2003.

Lack of Adequate Water Dooms Harrisburg Settlement
by Loren R. Webb, November 17, 2012

Red Cliffs day; reserve of the ancients, a Mexican village and Harrisburg
by Reuben Wadsworth, St. George News, October 22, 2017