Spotlight: Tropic, Utah
by MAGEN OLSEN
“Bryce Canyon is probably the number one reason most people come to Tropic,” says WaLon Brinkerhoff, the mayor of the city since January 2018. But, he suggests, there is more that this small community of 560 has to offer.
Tropic rests right against the eastern boundary of Bryce Canyon, in southwestern Garfield County. It may be a waylay point for tourists trekking between national parks today, but it wasn’t the sights that originally drew people to the area.
Irrigation projects led Mormon settlers to the area in the late nineteenth century. Ole Ahlstrom oversaw the work of thirty-nine men as a ditch was dug to divert water from a reservoir on the Sevier River to bring water through rocky terrain to farmland in the area. The project was completed in 1892, just one year after the city was founded. “This was a very amazing feat… without any machinery,” says Brinkerhoff.
Today, Tropic commemorates its history in the Heritage Center and Museum, which houses everything from samples of the local flora and fauna to artifacts left behind by indigenous peoples and settlers. Among these artifacts are pieces of Ebenezer Bryce’s history, for whom Bryce Canyon was named.
Pride is not lacking when it comes to local history, Brinkerhoff suggests, as the community is also home to a pioneer cemetery and veteran’s memorial. History buffs and academics alike can find more information about Tropic’s cultural footprint from the Southern Utah Oral Research Project, which is archived at Southern Utah University in Cedar City.
Brinkerhoff has called Tropic home for forty years and says that many of today’s residents are descendants of the earliest settlers in the area. “[They are] very friendly and hardworking,” he says of his neighbors. The city may be rooted in agriculture, but their can-do attitude is what makes Tropic thrive as a destination.
Their community plays host to large events throughout the year, including the Bryce Canyon Half Marathon held every year on the second Saturday in July. Bryce Canyon’s annual “Mule Days” is also hosted in Tropic in early May. This unique event invites attendees to experience the park from the back of a mule, sample local dining, and stay in one of Tropic’s several inns or campgrounds.
Have you ever been curious about the name that suggests a lush paradise? “Tropic” was chosen by Andrew J. Hansen, who wanted the name of the town to highlight the orchards of semi-tropical fruits, which were only made possible by the irrigation work of Ahlstrom’s crew. Nestled in some of the most beautiful scenery, made possible by hard work and natural splendor, this small community is, indeed, a paradise.