History is Alive in St. George’s McQuarrie Memorial Pioneer Museum
Though St. George is primarily known for its lush landscapes, famous parks, and for its charming surroundings, it has also been blessed with a deep and profound history. One of the places where this history is not only remembered, but, in fact, celebrated is the McQuarrie Memorial Pioneer Museum.
A Museum’s Own History
The museum was established in 1938, after Hortense McQuarrie Odlum , former wife of well-known industrialist Floyd Odlum and granddaughter of one of St. George’s mayors, took in a suggestion to set up a museum. The museum was originally intended to hold precious family relics and heirlooms, particularly from the pioneering era of Utah. Currently, the McQuarrie Memorial Pioneer Museum is being supported and sustained by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, an organization whose purpose is to maintain and preserve the history and legacy of the original pioneers of Utah.
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Everyday Legacy
As mentioned, the McQuarrie Memorial Pioneer Museum specializes in holding relics of pioneers. Though the museum was initially made to store only the most precious and priceless of family heirlooms, it has expanded its collection to encompass everyday items from the life of the early settlers of Utah. This means that the museum contains and showcases anything from books, clothes, silverware, instruments, and other types of artifacts. The museum also presents lists of the histories of pioneers and their families, as well as up to 500 pioneer pictures.
Take a Trip through the Past
Looking back into the past and tracing our roots is a very important undertaking to perform as history will give us a sense of who our forefathers were and why we’ve become who we are today. Even if you don’t have personal connections to the pioneers of St. George, Utah, the McQuarrie Memorial Pioneer Museum offers us a glimpse into the lives of people who have gone ahead of us, a glimpse that might deepen our appreciation for what we have in our present day lives. It is truly by looking to the past that we can decide for our future.
Visiting the museum is free of charge, meaning that there is no reason for you not to go if you find yourself in St. George. Although McQuarrie Memorial Pioneer Museum is closed on Wednesdays, Sundays, holidays, and for the whole month of December, it is open during the rest of the year. Private tours for you and your family can be organized by simply calling and arranging with the museum personnel in advance.
St. George Utah McQuarrie Memorial Pioneer Museum is a Utah Attraction
