St. George Opera House - Abbey Inn Cedar City

Click HERE for more history on the Opera House

Located three blocks away from the Best Western Coral Hills, this building was the primary location for socials, performances, and dances held on a movable floor. The Opera House was (and still is) the social hub for Washington County and the tri-State area.
In 1861, President Brigham Young called 300 Mormon families to settle the Virgin-Santa Clara River area to grow cotton and grapes. Elder George A. Smith, for whom St. George is named, presided over southern Utah. Elder Erastus Snow and Elder Orson Pratt led the company into Dixie.
The first public building built by the settlers was the St. George Hall. It was built in 1862 as a place of recreation, entertainment and education.
In the 1930’s the Social Hall/Opera House was sold and used as a sugar beet seed cleaning plant for many years. Later, it was abandoned — not a fitting end for such a grand lady. The laughter, once gone, has now returned to this historic place.