It was completed in January 1854. Interstate Highway 15 now bisects this old town site. Two years later, in June 1855, another site closer to the blast furnace and out of the flood plain of Coal Creek, was surveyed and occupied at the suggestion of Brigham Young. This is the present site of Cedar City. Beginning with the demise of the iron works in 1858, the town's economy became agrarian in nature, although iron mining continued through World War II and into the 1980s.
Tourism is now the primary commerce of Cedar City.
Utah Shakespearean Festival. Utah Winter Fest. Suggested Activities Cedar City is a convenient base for exploring the Markagunt Plateau. In summer, the plateau offers good hiking, biking, horseback riding and fishing in beautiful, natural settings. In winter, Brian Head Ski Resort,30 miles northeast, offers the best downhill skiing in southern Utah, as well as good cross-country skiing.