Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum

Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum is a state park and museum of Utah, USA, located in Blanding.[1] It is an Ancestral Puebloan archaeological site, a museum, and an archaeological repository. Cowboys from the nearby town of Bluff camped there in the late 19th century and called the site Edge of the Cedars because it sits on the edge of a natural boundary, separating a heavily forested region and a treeless landscape to the south. Cedar is a term locals use for the Utah juniper tree.

Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum
Sculpture at the museum
Map showing the location of Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum
Map showing the location of Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum
Location of Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum in Utah
LocationSan Juan County, Utah, United States
Nearest cityBlanding
Coordinates37°37′53″N 109°29′23″W / 37.63139°N 109.48972°W / 37.63139; -109.48972
Area6.65 acres (2.69 ha)[1]
Established1974[1]
Visitors13,776 (in 2022)[2]
Governing bodyUtah State Park
Edge of Cedars Indian Ruin
Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum is located in Utah
Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum
Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum is located in the United States
Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum
Area11.6 acres (4.7 ha)
NRHP reference No.71000853[3]
Added to NRHPAugust 12, 1971

Because of its archaeological significance, the site was designated a State Historical Monument in 1970 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Edge of Cedars Indian Ruin in 1971. In 1974, the Utah Navajo Development Council donated the 6.65-acre (2.69 ha) site to the Division of Utah State Parks and Recreation. Shortly thereafter the Utah Legislature enabled the establishment of Edge of the Cedars State Park as a museum of Indian history and culture. The museum opened in 1978. The archaeological repository was completed in 1994. Today, the facility serves as the primary repository for archaeological materials excavated from public lands in southeast Utah, and includes archives and a research library.[1]

References

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  This article incorporates public domain material from the website of the Utah Division of State Parks.

  1. ^ a b c d "Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum: About the Park". Utah State Parks. Archived from the original on March 16, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2011.
  2. ^ "Park Visitation Data". Utah State Parks. July 6, 2023.
  3. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
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