1886 Map of Kanab

About this map

Kanab and the high desert landscapes of southern Utah are documented in this late nineteenth-century survey, captured before the development of modern infrastructure. The map reveals a series of Mormon settlements established along the river valleys, including Orderville, Glendale, and Mt Carmel along the upper reaches of the Virgin River. The dramatic geological staircase of the region is clearly delineated, showing the succession from the Vermilion Cliffs and White Cliffs up to the high timbered reaches of the Markagunt Plateau and Paunsaugunt Plateau. In the north, the waters of Panguitch Lake and the Sevier River support early ranching and farming communities like Panguitch and Hillsdale. This era shows the region as a network of isolated outposts connected by primitive trails, where water sources like Buckhorn Spring and Sixteen Mile Spring were critical for travel between the rugged canyons of Mukuntuweap Canyon and Parunuweap Canyon.