Cove Fort (Millard County, Utah)
Millard County · Utah
History & Significance
The site was selected by Brigham Young for its location halfway between Fillmore and Beaver, filling a gap left when the abandonment of Fort Willden in 1865 left travelers without sanctuary from hostile Indians during the Black Hawk War or severe weather. Founded in 1867 by Ira Hinckley at Brigham Young's request, the primary structure was completed between April and November 1867.
Its distinctive material—volcanic rock rather than wood, making it one of very few forts of the period still surviving—ensured its longevity. As a daily stop for stagecoach lines, the fort housed blacksmith and farrier services, and hosted a telegraph office and Pony Express station.
In 1919, the LDS Church transferred title to William Henry Kesler, who had leased it since 1903. The Hinckley families repurchased the fort in 1988 and donated it back to the LDS Church for restoration, which Gordon B. Hinckley, then First Counselor in the Church's First Presidency and great-grandson of Ira, dedicated on May 21, 1994.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- 1867 fortification built with volcanic rock and limestone
- Guided tours of restored pioneer waystation
- Visitor center with exhibits on Mormon Road history
- Rare surviving example of 19th-century fort construction
Sources
- https://www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/c/COVE_FORT.shtml
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cove_Fort
- https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/learn/locations/cove-fort?lang=eng
- https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/soldier/sitec17.htm
- https://ensignpeakfoundation.org/cove-fort/
- https://www.intermountainhistories.org/items/show/468
- https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/subsection/historic-sites/utah/cove-fort