About Kanab, Utah

Kanab is a city in and the county seat of Kane County, Utah, United States. The population was 3,564 at the 2000 census (the current estimate is 5,400). Nearly 90% of its citizens are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons).

Many locals refer to Kanab as “Little Hollywood” due to its history as a filming location for western movies and television series such as Daniel Boone, Gunsmoke, Planet Of The Apes, The Outlaw Josey Wales, The Lone Ranger, and Stagecoach, among other films.


Named for a Paiute word meaning “place of the willows,” Kanab was settled in 1864 when Fort Kanab was built on the east bank of Kanab Creek for defense against the Native Americans and as a base for the exploration of the area. Native American attacks forced the abadonment of the fort in 1866. In 1870, ten Mormon families moved into the fort and began to establish the present town. That same year Brigham Young, president of the Mormon church, visited the area twice, making suggestions and supervising the town planning.

For many years Kanab was one of the most isolated cities in the nation. It was cut off from the east by the Colorado River and could only be reached with difficulty by rough dirt roads stretching over the rough terrain of the Arizona Strip west toward Las Vegas, Nevada. A twenty-three mile journey north to Orderville, Utah took nearly four days. Today, Kanab is a scenic tourist town and launching point for many outdoor recreational activities.


Sources: Wikipedia; Official Kanab City Web Site; Religious Congregations and Membership in the United States, 2000



Quote from Kanab Resident
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