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Orderville, Utah
Orderville, Utah
Orderville, Utah
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Orderville is a town in western Kane County, Utah, United States. The population was 598 at the 2020 census.[4] The town was founded and operated under the United Order of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This system allowed the community to flourish for some time, but ultimately ended in 1885.[5]

Key Information

History

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Looking east along East State Street US-89 in Orderville, with the Elkhart Cliffs in the background, October 2017

Distribution of goods and services

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Orderville was established at the direction of LDS Church president Brigham Young in 1875 specifically to live the United Order, a voluntary form of communal living defined by Joseph Smith. Orderville was settled primarily by destitute refugees from failed settlements on the Muddy River in Nevada. When it was settled, Orderville included 335 acres (136 ha) of land and contained 18 houses, 19 oxen, 103 cows, 43 horses, 500 sheep, 30 hogs, 400 chickens, and 30,000 feet of lumber. The settlement began completely debt-free.[6]

Homes were one- or two-room apartment units arranged around the town square. Community dining halls and public buildings were constructed. The dining hall began operation for the town on July 24, 1875, and prepared meals for more than 80 families. Men ate first, followed by women and children. Meal times were scheduled at 7 am, 12 pm, and 6 pm.[6]

Under the United Order, no person in Orderville could have private property, as it was all considered to be God's land. Each person was made a steward over some personal effects, and every family a steward over a home. During the first two years, the settlers worked without receiving income. They were allowed to use supplies and take food as needed. The bishop of Orderville oversaw the distribution of goods. Credits were recorded for all work done by men, women, and children and used to obtain needed materials and keep track of the labor done in the settlement. In 1877, the order began a price system to replace the credit system, and monetary values were assigned to all labor and goods. At the beginning of each year, debts were forgiven, and those who had earned a surplus voluntarily gave it back to the order.[6]

Slightly blurry photograph of an old man with a white beard
Orderville physician Priddy Meeks

The settlers there grew their own crops and had some small farms surrounding the settlement. They also used local materials to make their own soap, brooms, buckets, furniture, etc. Orderville settlers produced silk thread and wove it into articles of clothing. They later opened up their own tannery. There were blacksmiths, clerks, artists, musicians, and other professions. Priddy Meeks came to Orderville to serve as the settlement's doctor in 1876. Ten percent of the net increase of Orderville was donated to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to follow the law of tithing.[6]

Management

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The group was managed by an annually-elected Board of Management consisting of nine men who bought and sold goods on behalf of the entire settlement. They also directed labor performed by the settlers. The president was the bishop, and the vice presidents were usually his counselors. Thus, there was a very close connection between spiritual and secular. Orderville was divided into 33 departments, and each year members of the board met with the department directors to determine what the needs were and how many workers would be proportioned to the department.[6]

In order for new members to join, the entire community had to vote. A new member was welcomed into Orderville only if the admission vote was a two-thirds majority. All newcomers were interviewed to determine their motives for wanting to join the society. They were also asked a number of questions regarding their moral and spiritual habits. New members had to agree to follow the strict standards and conditions of the settlement, including no swearing and giving up tobacco, tea, and coffee. Brigham Young cautioned against "allowing those whom might become parasites on the body from becoming members." When members wanted to leave, they were given back the capital they had initially invested along with their surplus credits for that year. If the members leaving had debts, they were usually forgiven.[6]

Success

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Although the United Order was practiced in many Utah communities during the late 1870s, Orderville was unique in both the level of success it experienced under the communal living style, and in the duration of the experiment. In the course of a few years, Orderville grew into a thriving, self-sufficient community. The success and relative wealth of the community attracted more settlers, and Orderville grew to about 700 people. Orderville not only provided for the needs of its population, but produced a significant surplus for sale to other communities, which was used to purchase additional land and equipment. The extreme poverty of these settlers likely contributed significantly to their devotion to the principles of the United Order.[6]

End of the Order

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The Order continued in Orderville for approximately 10 years. During the early 1870s, the economic environment improved in southern Utah. The discovery of silver nearby led to railroad facilities and an influx of people to the area. Local farmers were able to find a market for their goods and gained more profit. The neighboring towns that had once bought goods from Orderville now found themselves able to import materials from other regions. Orderville goods became "old fashioned". The youth of Orderville envied the youth in other communities, creating friction within the community. Due to this friction, the communal dining system was abandoned in 1880. Three years later the value system assigned to labor was adjusted, introducing a level of inequality that had not existed before. Families were also given their own spending money. These changes led to tension and much internal disruption of the Order. While these internal conflicts and changes eventually would have led to the end of the practice of the United Order in Orderville, national legislation ensured it. In 1885, the enforcement of the Edmunds Anti-Polygamy Act of 1882 effectively ended the order by jailing many of the order's leaders and driving many of the others underground. Members of the community held an auction using their credits as payment. Orderville continued its tannery, wool factory, and sheep enterprise, which were overseen by the Board of Management until 1889.[6]

Orderville's current leadership is headed by Mayor Lyle Goulding.[7]

Geography

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Orderville is in western Kane County within the Long Valley, formed by the East Fork of the Virgin River. U.S. Route 89 passes through the town, leading north 4 miles (6 km) to Glendale and 45 miles (72 km) to Panguitch, and south 21 miles (34 km) to Kanab, the Kane county seat.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 9.2 square miles (23.7 km2), all land.[8] Its current limits include the former incorporated communities of Mount Carmel and Mount Carmel Junction.[9][10] From Mount Carmel Junction, Utah State Route 9 leads west 23 miles (37 km) to Zion National Park.

Climate

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This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 73.1 °F (22.8 °C). According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Orderville has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.[11]

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880514—
1890289−43.8%
190041844.6%
1910380−9.1%
1920378−0.5%
193043916.1%
19404410.5%
1950371−15.9%
19603987.3%
19703990.3%
19804236.0%
1990422−0.2%
200059641.2%
2010577−3.2%
20205983.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]

As of the census of 2010, there were 577 people, 209 households, and 155 families residing in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 98.1% White, 0.2% Native American, 0.2% from other races, and .7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.4% of the population.[2]

There were 209 households, out of which 25% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.1% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.8% were non-families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.28.[2]

In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.6% under the age of 18, 5% from 20 to 24, 16.8% from 25 to 44, 23% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.5 years. The total female population was 49.7% with 50.3% being male.[2]

The median income for a household in the town was $51,838 in 2015. Males had a median income of $29,375 versus $15,000 for females. 6.2% of people in Orderville were below the poverty line. 17.9% of the population does not have health insurance. The median value for a house is $125,800.[13]

See also

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References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Orderville, Utah

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Orderville is a small town in Kane County, southern Utah, United States, with a population of 595 as of the 2020 United States Census. The town was founded in 1875 under the direction of Brigham Young, second president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as a settlement operating under the United Order, a voluntary communal economic system aimed at implementing principles of consecration and stewardship to achieve self-sufficiency and eliminate poverty. Orderville's implementation of the United Order, which emphasized collective labor, shared resources, and assigned work, proved relatively successful and enduring, lasting over a decade until its dissolution in the mid-1880s amid broader economic pressures and the shift toward private enterprise. Today, the town functions as a rural community near Zion National Park, deriving economic support from tourism centered on hiking, slot canyons, and proximity to natural attractions along U.S. Route 89.

History

Founding and Early Settlement

The Long Valley region, where Orderville is located, saw initial Mormon exploration in 1852 by a party led by under direction from Parowan leaders. Formal settlement efforts began in spring 1864 when a group of pioneers from southern Utah communities, including Parowan and St. George, established temporary camps along the East Fork of the . Priddy Meeks, a physician and early Mormon , became the first permanent resident in the lower Long Valley area, constructing a dugout home in the hillside near the current Orderville site. These early outposts faced significant challenges from Native American Paiute tribes amid broader regional tensions exacerbated by the . By 1866, settlers evacuated the valley due to threats of attack, abandoning structures and returning to safer northern settlements like Parowan. Resettlement resumed around 1871 as conflicts subsided, with families reoccupying sites and establishing small farming and ranching operations focused on in the fertile valley soils. These pioneers, primarily from Kane and Washington counties, laid the groundwork for , constructing basic log cabins and irrigation ditches to harness the Virgin River's waters for crops such as , corn, and . By mid-1875, the growing cluster of homes prompted formal organization under church direction, setting the stage for Orderville's distinct communal structure.

Establishment of the United Order

The in Orderville was formally organized on July 14, 1875, by Mormon settlers in , as an extension of earlier communal experiments in the Long Valley region, including the . Approximately 30 families, who had begun arriving in the area around 1870–1871, pooled their resources—including cash, livestock, tools, and land claims—into a collective entity governed by principles of consecration and stewardship derived from Latter-day Saint doctrine. This establishment occurred under the direct oversight of , president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who had initiated the broader movement in 1874 to promote economic self-sufficiency and equality amid post-Civil War challenges like debt and speculation in . Young dispatched representatives, including apostle Brigham Young Jr., to encourage and regulate such orders, viewing Orderville's adoption as a model for implementing the biblical "Order of Enoch" through shared labor and property distribution. Participants formalized their commitment via , surrendering individual titles to assets while receiving assigned stewardships based on family needs and community roles. Initial leadership included a elected from among the members, with Israel Hoyt serving as an early presiding figure in the local order before transitions to figures like Ebenezer Robinson as . The community's layout was planned communally, with uniform housing arranged in a rectangular formation to symbolize equality, and all production directed toward collective sustenance rather than personal profit. This structure distinguished Orderville from less rigorous united orders elsewhere, emphasizing total consecration without private ownership.

Operations and Communal Practices

The in Orderville operated as a highly centralized communal system from its establishment in , with an elected overseeing all facets of production, distribution, and daily activities to emulate the biblical "Order of ." All property was consecrated to the collective upon entry, eliminating private ownership; incoming members deeded assets to the Order, which assigned stewardships based on family needs, while surplus contributed to communal growth, expanding total assets from $21,551 for 80 families in to $69,562 by 1879 and nearly $80,000 by 1883. Labor was divided by a board assigning roles according to age, sex, and aptitude, with an 1877 accounting system valuing work uniformly—initially independent of output—to foster equality, though this shifted to unequal wages and partial private stewardships by 1883 amid emerging inefficiencies. Communal practices emphasized uniformity and interdependence to curb and pride. Residents resided in standardized apartments within a U-shaped fort of "shanties," dined together in a central hall serving up to 300 pounds of bread daily until its destruction by flood in 1880, and were summoned for meals by a playing hymns on a coronet. consisted of locally produced homespun and uniforms, manufactured in the Order's and cotton factories, with later allowances for store-bought items reflecting gradual relaxations. Children assisted in distributing goods to families, and work credits accrued daily could be redeemed at the bishop's storehouse, with annual audits balancing individual contributions against allotments to maintain equity. Economic operations centered on self-sufficiency through diverse industries, including a tannery, gristmill, sawmill, molasses mill, bucket factory, silk production, dairying, broom and hat making, extensive farming of orchards and gardens, and livestock herding of sheep and cattle across ranches in Kane County and grazing rights on the Buckskin Mountains. These enterprises, such as the woolen mill and sheep company leased post-1885 until 1900, supported the community's population growth to 700–800 by 1876 and generated goods like leather products and fabric for internal use and trade. The system prioritized collective welfare over personal gain, with baptismal covenants reinforcing labor for the community's benefit, though federal pressures like the 1882 ultimately contributed to its 1885 dissolution.

Challenges, Controversies, and Decline

Despite its relative success compared to other experiments, Orderville faced mounting internal challenges by the late 1870s, including disputes over work assignments, water rights, and the burdens imposed by less diligent members who strained communal resources. A notable arose in 1880 with the "pants rebellion," where young men, dissatisfied with the uniform homespun wool trousers mandated by the Order, traded communal wool for store-bought pants from , sparking conflict with the Board of Management over external influences and individualism. This incident highlighted growing youth discontent and of market goods, leading to adjustments like allowing external cotton cloth for clothing. Economic prosperity, with assets rising from $21,551 in 1875 to $80,000 by , paradoxically fueled jealousy and calls for inequality, prompting shifts such as an 1877 accounting system valuing labor and commodities uniformly, the end of communal dining after a 1880 flood destroyed facilities, and adoption of partial stewardship with unequal wages in 1883 under apostle Erastus Snow's recommendation. These modifications diluted the pure communal model, reflecting causal pressures from human incentives and practical inefficiencies in enforcing equality amid varying productivity. External factors accelerated decline, particularly the death of in 1877, which removed centralized oversight, and the of 1882, which prosecuted polygamous leaders, imprisoning or exiling figures like bishop Thomas Chamberlain and decimating governance. Federal anti-polygamy campaigns threatened property confiscation, prompting apostles and to counsel disincorporation in 1885. The Order formally dissolved that year via community vote, with assets like the tannery, woolen mill, and sheep ranch auctioned or distributed by 1889, marking the transition to private ownership, though the corporation lingered until lapsing in 1904.

Dissolution and Transition to Private Enterprise

The communal system in Orderville began eroding in the late 1870s due to internal frictions over equal distribution and external economic pressures, culminating in significant changes by the early 1880s. A devastating on January 23, 1880, destroyed the central dining hall and kitchens, which had symbolized the Order's unity by serving up to 700 communal meals daily; this event effectively ended the practice of shared eating, as families shifted to preparing food in their individual homes. In response to growing inefficiencies and dissatisfaction with strict equalization, Apostle Erastus Snow, overseeing southern stakes, recommended in 1883 the adoption of an unequal wage system and partial stewardships, allowing families to receive assigned plots of for personal cultivation and retention of surplus produce beyond basic needs. These reforms marked the initial transition from full communalism, with Order enterprises such as the tannery, woolen mill, and sheep operations increasingly leased to individual operators who paid fees to the , fostering elements of private initiative within the framework. The of 1882, federal legislation criminalizing and intensifying scrutiny on Mormon economic cooperatives, further strained the system by leading to the arrest, imprisonment, or exile of several Orderville leaders, exacerbating leadership vacuums and internal disruptions. The United Order formally dissolved in 1885 under directive from central church authorities, who advised disbandment to mitigate federal antagonism toward Mormon communal practices and . Most assets, including land and improvements, were auctioned off that year, enabling former members to repurchase properties approximating their original contributions or stewardships, thereby reestablishing private ownership and individual farming operations. Community-held enterprises persisted under collective oversight until 1889, after which the incorporating corporation lapsed in 1904, completing the shift to a private enterprise model centered on and small-scale industry. Post-dissolution, Orderville transitioned into a conventional rural farming , with residents relying on private landholdings for sustenance and .

Geography

Location and Physical Features

Orderville occupies a position in western Kane County, southern , within the Long Valley region formed by the East Fork of the . This valley setting places the town amid the Colorado Plateau's characteristic geological structures, including elevated plateaus, deep canyons, mesas, and buttes. The terrain reflects the broader physiography of Kane County, dominated by eroded formations and arid highlands. Geographic coordinates for Orderville center at approximately 37.28°N and 112.64°W . The town's elevation averages around 5,460 feet (1,664 meters) above , contributing to a high-desert environment with surrounding mountainous elevations rising sharply. Proximity to westward and northeastward underscores the area's rugged topography and scenic relief, shaped by fluvial erosion and tectonic uplift over millions of years.

Climate

Orderville lies at an elevation of 5,460 feet (1,664 m) above sea level, which moderates temperatures compared to surrounding lower-elevation deserts while contributing to low humidity and significant daily temperature swings. The locality experiences a semi-arid climate with hot, dry summers and cold, occasionally snowy winters, receiving limited precipitation that supports sparse vegetation dominated by sagebrush and junipers. Average annual precipitation measures 16.81 inches (42.7 cm), concentrated primarily from late fall through spring, with summer months typically seeing less than 0.8 inches (2 cm) combined. Snowfall totals average 29 inches (73.7 cm) yearly, mostly occurring between November and March. Average temperatures range from a yearly high of 67°F (19°C) to a low of 36°F (2°C), based on 1991–2020 normals. Winters feature frequent freezes, with January averages of 46.6°F (8.1°C) highs and 20.5°F (-6.4°C) lows, while July brings peak warmth at 92°F (33°C) highs and 59°F (15°C) lows. Extreme heat can exceed 100°F (38°C) in summer, and subzero (°F) conditions occur in winter, though prolonged cold snaps are mitigated by elevation-driven solar radiation.
MonthAvg. High (°F)Avg. Low (°F)Avg. Precip. (in.)
January46.620.51.5
February49.823.61.6
March57.028.61.4
April65.733.30.9
May75.441.50.7
June86.749.60.4
July92.158.30.5
August90.056.30.7
September82.648.40.8
October71.137.61.0
November56.527.91.1
December47.320.81.4
Data derived from aggregated normals; precipitation estimates approximate monthly distributions from regional stations. The low annual moisture supports irrigation-dependent agriculture historically practiced in the area, with drought risks heightened by climate variability observed in recent decades.

Demographics

Orderville's population grew rapidly following its founding in 1875 as a communal settlement under the United Order of Enoch, reaching 514 residents by the 1880 U.S. Census. The dissolution of the United Order in the mid-1880s, amid internal challenges and external pressures from federal anti-polygamy laws, contributed to a sharp decline, with the 1890 Census recording just 289 inhabitants. Throughout the , the town's population remained modest and relatively stable, fluctuating between approximately 300 and 600 residents amid agricultural and -based economic shifts in Kane County. The 2000 U.S. Census marked a peak of 602 people, reflecting modest growth tied to regional development. The 2010 and 2020 decennial censuses showed continued small-scale stability at around 600, but recent estimates indicate a slight downward trend, with projections for 2025 estimating 588 residents amid broader rural depopulation patterns in southern . This decline aligns with out-migration from small towns, offset partially by but constrained by limited economic diversification.

Ethnic and Social Composition

Orderville exhibits a highly homogeneous ethnic composition, with residents of European descent forming the vast majority. According to 2020 U.S. Census data aggregated from local demographic reports, approximately 98% of the population identifies as , with negligible percentages reporting (0%), Asian (0%), or Native American origins; multiracial individuals account for the remainder, around 2%. Hispanic or Latino residents, of any race, comprise about 2.2% of the total. This lack of ethnic diversity aligns with the town's rural location in southern and its historical settlement patterns. Socially, the community is characterized by strong cohesion rooted in shared religious affiliation with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), which has defined Orderville since its founding in 1875 as a communal Mormon settlement under Brigham Young's direction. Nearly all residents participate in LDS wards and activities, fostering a culture emphasizing family, self-reliance, and mutual support, with high rates of and volunteerism in local and . Socioeconomic structures reflect this, featuring low income inequality, median household incomes around $92,000 as of recent estimates, and a focus on extended family networks rather than individualistic pursuits. The absence of significant class divisions persists from the town's era, though modern social life centers on , , and church-centered events.

Economy

Historical Economic System

Orderville's historical economic system was based on the United Order of Enoch, a communal framework initiated by in 1874 as a response to economic hardships following the , drawing from scriptural principles of consecration and stewardship outlined in sections 42 and 51. Settlers consecrated their property to the community upon joining, with the bishop acting as steward to allocate "inheritances" or stewardships—parcels of land or resources for individual families to manage—but retaining communal ownership to prevent inequality and promote self-sufficiency. In Orderville, established in March 1875, this system emphasized collective labor coordination, where work was assigned by a based on ability and community needs, encompassing , , and services without monetary wages. Daily operations featured centralized production and distribution: surplus goods from farms, dairies, mills, and workshops were stored communally and rationed according to family size and labor contribution, with "spiritual families" of unrelated members sharing meals in a central dining hall to foster unity and efficiency. Uniform clothing and standardized housing minimized distinctions, while industries like milling, tanneries, and supported near self-sufficiency by 1876, producing staples such as , , and cloth internally after initial . This structure aimed at economic equality and moral discipline, with records tracking contributions and distributions to ensure fairness, though variations existed across United Orders, Orderville representing one of the most rigorous implementations. The system's formal adoption in Orderville occurred on July 14, 1875, under the leadership of figures like Thomas Chamberlain, integrating religious covenants where members pledged fidelity to communal principles, viewing it as a step toward building . Economic activities diversified to include cooperative trade with external markets for items like and , but internal and labor credits predominated, avoiding cash to curb . By achieving surplus production within a few years, Orderville served as a model for other southern communities, demonstrating practical communalism in a frontier setting.

Modern Economic Activities

Orderville's modern economy is small-scale, reflecting its rural character and population of approximately 600 residents. In 2023, the local workforce numbered 295 individuals, with a median household income of $91,944 and a low poverty rate of 2.77%. Unemployment stands at 3.2%, below the national average, though recent job growth has declined by 2.5%. The economy has transitioned from its historical communal model to private enterprise, emphasizing tourism, service industries, and limited agriculture, bolstered by the town's proximity to Zion National Park and U.S. Route 89. Tourism constitutes a primary driver, leveraging Orderville's location in Long Valley near major attractions like and Bryce Canyon National Parks. Accommodation and food services employ 31 residents, supporting ranches and resorts such as Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort and Zion Mountain Ranch, which offer lodging, guided tours, and recreational activities for park visitors. The sector benefits from regional visitor spending, with alone contributing significantly to southern Utah's tourism economy, which generated billions statewide in recent years. Local establishments, including retail outlets like , cater to both tourists and residents traveling the scenic highway corridor. Other services, excluding , represent the largest employment sector with 42 workers, encompassing repair, personal care, and maintenance activities suited to a rural setting. persists as a foundational element, with farming and ranching in the fertile Long Valley producing hay and livestock on Kane County's 128,697 acres of farmland. This sector employs a portion of the workforce, maintaining the town's agrarian heritage amid diversification into -related opportunities. Information services, employing 34 individuals, suggest some remote or professional work, though details remain limited in available . Overall, projections indicate robust job growth of 38.4% over the next decade, potentially driven by expansion.

Government and Infrastructure

Local Governance

Orderville operates under Utah's municipal code as a with a -council form of government, featuring an elected and a four-member board responsible for legislative and decisions. The board holds regular meetings to address local ordinances, budgeting, and community issues, with public notices and agendas available through the office. Administrative functions are supported by appointed staff, including a clerk who manages records and elections, and a handling financial operations. As of October 2025, the is Lyle Goulding, who presides over town board meetings and executes administrative duties. The current town board members are Marianne Leigh, Rory Hatch, Susan Esplin, and Shaun Sharkey, elected to staggered four-year terms under law. The 2025 municipal , held on August 12, featured competitive races for and board seats, with the general scheduled for November. Key appointed positions include Breanna Crofts as town clerk and Chelcie Cox as , both confirmed in early 2025 town board actions. The planning and zoning commission, chaired by Ed Bolander with members Alex Pavlides (vice chair), Shanda Frost, Letitia Cox, and Tony Collins, advises on land use and development to maintain the town's rural character. Additional roles encompass Verl Sawyer as water operator, Earl Levanger as , and Chris Esplin as building inspector, ensuring compliance with state and local regulations. The town office at 425 E State Street handles daily , operating Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Public Services and Education

Orderville is served by the Kane County School District, which administers public education for the town and surrounding areas from its headquarters in Kanab. The district enrolls approximately 1,510 students across pre-K through grade 12, with a student-teacher ratio of about 17:1. Valley Elementary School, located in Orderville, provides instruction for grades K-6 to 168 students in a rural setting, maintaining a student-teacher ratio of 19:1. State assessments indicate that 52% of students achieve proficiency in math and reading at this school. Valley High School, also in Orderville, serves grades 9-12 as a Class 1A public institution under the Utah High School Activities Association, ranking 85th among Utah high schools with 7% minority enrollment and 32% of students economically disadvantaged. Public utilities in Orderville are managed by the town government, including water, sewer, and related services, with online payment options available through Xpress Bill Pay. is supplied by the Garkane , which has reported occasional outages due to events like equipment fires in the region. The Orderville Fire Department, based at 415 East State Street, handles fire suppression and emergency medical responses, enforcing restrictions such as Stage 2 fire bans during dry conditions to mitigate risks. is primarily provided by the Kane County Sheriff's Office, as the small town's limits dedicated municipal policing.

Cultural and Religious Legacy

Enduring Mormon Heritage

Orderville's establishment in 1875 as a Latter-day Saint United Order community under Brigham Young's direction instilled principles of communal cooperation and self-reliance that have persisted beyond the experiment's dissolution in the 1880s. The town's founders, numbering around 300 settlers from nearby Mount Carmel, implemented a system of shared property and labor, achieving notable economic success through collective farming, manufacturing, and resource management until external pressures and internal shifts led to privatization. This heritage manifests today in the community's emphasis on unity and mutual support, reflected in local traditions and interpersonal relations. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continues to anchor Orderville's social and cultural fabric, with active wards serving the majority of its approximately 600 residents. Religious practices, including family home evenings, observance, and missionary service, align the town with broader Latter-day Saint values prevalent in southern , where Mormon adherence shapes community ethics and civic participation. Historical sites and annual commemorations reinforce pioneer narratives, portraying Orderville as a paragon of devotion and sacrifice within church lore. Preservation initiatives, such as those by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, curate artifacts and stories from the era, educating locals on ancestral and resilience. These efforts underscore Orderville's role as a living testament to early Mormon communal ideals, influencing contemporary views on stewardship and collective welfare amid the town's rural, conservative ethos.

Evaluation of the United Order Experiment

The in Orderville, implemented from March 1875, represented the most rigorous and longest-lasting iteration of Brigham Young's communal economic system among over 100 Mormon settlements, emphasizing of property, assigned labor by a governing council, uniform clothing to prevent envy, and equal distribution of goods based on family size rather than individual contribution. This structure enabled rapid communal achievements, including the construction of canals, a , , and factories for cloth and shoes, transforming a sparsely settled into a self-sufficient village that grew from approximately 300 residents in 1875 to over 700 by 1880 while eliminating visible poverty through shared resources. Economically, the system yielded surpluses in and , with Orderville trading , woolens, and to neighboring areas and achieving net positive balances in and by the late , demonstrating that high religious cohesion could sustain collective productivity in a small, homogeneous group under centralized direction. Socially, it fostered remarkable unity, with contemporary accounts noting minimal conflict, voluntary adherence to rules, and a sense of familial equality that aligned with participants' theological commitment to consecration as a divine mandate, though this relied heavily on charismatic and external isolation from market temptations. Despite these outcomes, structural flaws inherent to communal allocation—such as the absence of price signals for and incentives for —emerged as stagnated, with council decisions often prioritizing uniformity over specialized skills or risk-taking, leading to inefficiencies like underutilized labor and reluctance to invest personal effort without differential rewards. Internal grew among younger members seeking personal and , eroding the voluntary consensus that had sustained the order, while external factors including the 1877 death of , who had personally endorsed Orderville's model, diminished top-down enforcement. A devastating in May 1880 destroyed the communal dining hall, disrupting centralized meals and accelerating a shift toward family-based consumption, followed by Erastus Snow's 1883 recommendation for unequal wages to reflect labor differences, which marked a abandonment of strict equality. The system's formal end came in amid intensified federal enforcement of the Edmunds Anti-Polygamy Act of 1882, which targeted polygamous leaders integral to the order's governance, compounding internal disruptions from accumulated resentments over inflexible rules. In causal terms, Orderville's decade-long viability highlights the potential for religiously motivated collectivism to overcome short-term free-rider problems through shared and in insular settings, yet its dissolution underscores the unsustainability of suppressing incentives and dispersed , as participants increasingly prioritized personal agency over dictates, reverting to private enterprise without relapse into destitution. This experiment, while not a wholesale in achieving interim equity and infrastructure, empirically validated critiques of centralized planning's limitations in adapting to and external pressures, influencing subsequent Mormon emphasis on over communalism.

References

  1. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2020-2021/cities/totals/SUB-IP-EST2021-POP-49.xlsx
  2. https://orderville.utah.gov/our-history
  3. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/topics/united-orders?lang=eng
  4. https://historytogo.utah.gov/united-order/
  5. https://www.visitsouthernutah.com/communities/orderville/
  6. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=40584
  7. https://wchsutah.org/people/warren-foote5.pdf
  8. https://historytogo.utah.gov/colonization-utah/
  9. https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/pisp/adhi/adhi1g.htm
  10. https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/care/mormon.pdf
  11. https://stories.utahhumanities.org/stories/items/show/241
  12. https://www.deseret.com/2023/1/14/23548724/history-of-orderville-mormon-pioneers-united-order/
  13. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/church-history-in-the-fulness-of-times/chapter-thirty-one?lang=eng
  14. https://utahhistoricalmarkers.org/era/end19th/united-order-industries/
  15. https://issuu.com/utah10/docs/volume_7_1939/s/66872
  16. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1989/10/remembrance-and-gratitude?lang=eng
  17. https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/life/the-family-of-heaven-the-united-order-in-orderville/article_4f95409a-7d21-59c2-bda4-69308dc51e1e.html
  18. http://www.riversimulator.org/Resources/History/UtahCounties/HistoryOfKaneCounty1996Bradley.pdf
  19. https://www.parkrecord.com/2024/03/19/beehive-archive-orderville-and-the-great-pants-rebellion/
  20. https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/story-series/days-series/united-order-day-southern-utah-s-version-of-communism/article_2d1ab8cd-5bbc-53c9-be2b-0fd9f0b85e73.html
  21. https://utahguide.com/utah-counties/kane-county/
  22. https://www.sitesatlas.com/city/US-UT-Orderville/
  23. https://extension.usu.edu/rra/photos/orderville-ut
  24. https://www.usclimatedata.com/climate/orderville/utah/united-states/usut0190
  25. https://wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?utorde
  26. https://mormonplaces.byu.edu/data/entities/481987
  27. https://www.biggestuscities.com/city/orderville-utah
  28. https://ballotpedia.org/Orderville%2C_Utah
  29. https://worldpopulationreview.com/us-cities/utah/orderville
  30. https://www.areavibes.com/orderville-ut/demographics/
  31. https://www.utah-demographics.com/orderville-demographics
  32. https://local.churchofjesuschrist.org/en/us/ut/orderville/35-s-center-st
  33. https://greatdata.com/84758
  34. https://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/digital/api/collection/EoM/id/4298/page/0/inline/EoM_4298_0
  35. https://issuu.com/utah10/docs/volume_7_1939/s/66868
  36. https://datausa.io/profile/geo/orderville-ut
  37. https://www.bestplaces.net/economy/city/utah/orderville
  38. https://www.indeed.com/companies/best-companies-in-Orderville%2C-UT
  39. https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1072/national-park-tourism-in-utah-contributes-%243-1-billion-to-state-economy.htm
  40. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3108&context=extension_curall
  41. https://orderville.utah.gov/directory
  42. https://www.sunews.net/post/orderville-town-board-hears-dark-skies-proposal
  43. https://midutahradio.com/news/local-news/unofficial-2025-municipal-election-results/
  44. https://www.sunews.net/post/crofts-and-cox-appointed-as-orderville-clerk-and-treasurer
  45. https://kanek12.org/
  46. https://www.niche.com/k12/d/kane-county-school-district-ut/
  47. https://www.niche.com/k12/valley-elementary-school-orderville-ut/
  48. https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/utah/districts/kane-district/valley-high-school-20212
  49. https://orderville.utah.gov/utility-payments
  50. https://ksltv.com/local-news/1000-people-without-power/775203/
  51. https://www.facebook.com/groups/790092034428454/
  52. https://m.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Fire%2BDepartments&find_loc=Springdale%252C%2BUT
  53. https://kane.utah.gov/226/Schools
  54. https://archive.timesandseasons.org/2005/05/mormons-and-markets-ii-information-and-the-failure-of-the-united-order/index.html
  55. https://www.deseret.com/1993/11/29/19078929/100-years-later-orderville-is-still-tight-knit/
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