Fort Pearce

Fort Pearce is a sandstone defensive structure built near a canyon wash in Washington County. The walls contain ten vertical firing slots, and a partition wall divided the interior into two distinct rooms.

This post was built in 1866 during the Black Hawk War to protect Mormon settlements from raids. It served as one of three guard stations positioned throughout southern Utah for regional defense.

This structure reflects the interactions between Mormon settlers and Ute peoples during the settlement period in southern Utah. You can see how this location served as a meeting point between two communities with different ways of life.

This site sits about 12 miles south of St. George and remains accessible year-round via Warner Valley Road. The grounds are easy to walk around, though visitors should come prepared for sun and open conditions.

The corners featured flanking walls that allowed defenders to cover all sides simultaneously from a compact position. This defensive design was unusually practical for a small outpost of that era.

GPS coordinates: 37.07498,-113.57662

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:41