Colorado City

Colorado City. Located in Mohave County near the Arizona-Utah border, this community has a complex history intertwined with the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS Church). It is situated within the Hildale, Utah–Colorado City area, a region historically known as Short Creek. The town's development and notoriety are largely defined by its past as a polygamous enclave and subsequent legal battles.

History

The area was first settled in 1913 by members of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints seeking remote land for United Order communities. Following the LDS Church's 1890 Manifesto renouncing polygamy, fundamentalist adherents, including followers of John Y. Barlow, established a stronghold here, leading to the 1935 formation of the Short Creek Community. A major confrontation occurred in 1953 with the Short Creek raid, a law enforcement action ordered by Arizona Governor Howard Pyle. The raid, intended to dismantle the polygamous settlement, backfired publicly and solidified the community's isolation. Leadership later fell to Rulon Jeffs and then his son Warren Jeffs, who was convicted in 2011 for child sexual assault and remains a central figure in the FLDS Church. In 2005, the Arizona Attorney General's office and the Utah Attorney General initiated actions to reform the local government and trust, the United Effort Plan.

Geography

Colorado City is part of the Arizona Strip, a remote, arid region north of the Grand Canyon. The town lies directly adjacent to Hildale, Utah, with the state line running through the contiguous community; together they are often called the Short Creek Community. The topography is characterized by the desert plains and cliffs of the Colorado Plateau, with the Vermilion Cliffs to the north and the Mojave Desert influences to the south. The area is drained by the Short Creek wash. Its high-desert climate features hot summers and cool winters, with precipitation levels typical of the Great Basin desert.

Demographics

Historically, the population was almost exclusively composed of members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, creating a highly insular society. Recent decades have seen demographic shifts due to dissidents leaving the church, law enforcement actions, and an influx of non-FLDS residents. The community has a very high birth rate, contributing to a youthful population. Census data has shown significant growth and change in household composition following the state's intervention in the United Effort Plan trust, which controlled most local housing. The racial makeup is predominantly non-Hispanic white.

Economy

For most of its history, the local economy was tightly controlled by the FLDS Church leadership and the United Effort Plan, a religious trust that held all property in common. Major industries included construction, notably through the church-affiliated Davis County Cooperative Society and other contracting firms that worked throughout the Intermountain West. Agriculture, particularly dairy farming and pecan orchards, was also significant. Following state intervention in the trust and the conviction of Warren Jeffs, economic control has loosened, with more private enterprise emerging. Some residents commute to St. George, Utah or Las Vegas for work.

Government

Colorado City is incorporated as a town within Arizona state law. For years, the municipal government and the Colorado City Municipal Justice Court were effectively controlled by the FLDS Church, leading to allegations of civil rights violations. In 2016, a federal jury found the town and neighboring Hildale, Utah guilty of unconstitutional policing, siding with the U.S. Department of Justice. The Arizona Legislature has passed several bills aimed at reforming the town, including measures to dissolve its police department. The town operates under a mayor-council system, though its authority has been circumscribed by court-appointed administrators for the United Effort Plan.

Culture and recreation

Cultural life was historically dominated by the strict tenets of the FLDS Church, regulating dress, media, and education. The community built large, distinctive homes to accommodate plural families. Notable local sites include the FLDS Church meetinghouse and the historical buildings from the Short Creek Community era. The surrounding natural landscape offers recreational opportunities in the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument and proximity to Zion National Park. Annual events now include a heritage festival, signaling a shift toward acknowledging the area's complex history. The 2018 documentary *The Keepers* and the television series *Big Love* have drawn popular attention to the region.