After the Indian Missionaries, the first sizable group of settlers arrived in the region in 1857 assigned to settle the town of Washington with the goal of growing cotton.
Four years later in 1861, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints assigned 309 skilled families to relocate from Salt Lake City to St. George with the assignment of developing a permanent community. In addition, 85 additional Swiss men, women and children, all German speaking, were assigned to settle Santa Clara.
In 1862, an additional 150 families relocated from Salt Lake City to St. George to support the effort which was struggling with famine and floods.
