The Origins of The Dixie Rock

Here’s an abbreviated history of how the “Dixie Rock” came to be.

Today we’re taking a closer look at the “Dixie Rock,” where it came from, and why it has this name.

Originally, it was called the “Sugar Loaf”. When the pioneers came here in the 1800s, the shape of this rock looked like a loaf of sugar from the valley below. The color and the shape resembled the sugar of their time, so that’s why they nicknamed it as such. There was even a restaurant called The Sugar Loaf. 

It’s now Cafe Sabor, a killer Mexican joint that draws crowds from all over. 

Some write it “Sugarloaf”, while others use “Sugar Loaf.” 

In 1913, students at the Dixie Academy came up here and painted the word “Dixie” across the front of the Sugar Loaf. Dixie, referring to the “heart of the south” and the fact that original pioneers who came to St. George did so to raise cotton, a key southern crop.

“It was originally called the Sugar Loaf.”

The name has been controversial over the last few years, to say the least. Dixie State University has been under a lot of fire because people are tying the name to the South. The bottom line is that it has a very different connotation here in Utah, but people will feel the way they do, and I’m not here to tell anyone how to feel. 

I graduated from Dixie High School, Dixie State University, and even Dixie Academy, so Dixie Rock has been part of my entire life. Every spring, DHS has “D week” where students have the opportunity to come up and paint over the “Dixie” on the rock with a fresh coat of paint. That’s why it always looks so bright and vibrant.

There you have it, the history of The Dixie Rock! 

If you have any questions for us about this incredible community, and of course, St. George Real Estate, don’t hesitate to reach out via phone or email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

-Jeremy Larkin