About Fredonia
Fredonia is located in the "Arizona Strip", a large plateau between the Grand Canyon and the cliffs of the "Grand Staircase" of southern Utah. Sagebrush, grasses and other desert plants cover the flat country around the town, while junipers cling to the cliffs in the distance. Irrigated fields cover areas close to the town.
Fredonia was settled in 1885 by Mormon pioneers from Kanab, which is located several miles to the north, on the other side of the Utah border. "Dona" being the spanish word for "wife", the name "Fredonia" was coined by the Kanab pioneers, because their polygamist wives could live there, free from persecution of federal officers. The practice of polygamy was later abandoned by the Mormons.
Fredonia is characterized by wide streets, laid out on a grid, typical of Mormon settlements. Trees planted throughout the town separate it from the surrounding desert. As of 2000 the population is 1,036. U. S. Highway 89A comes south from Kanab and continues southeast to Jacob Lake and the Grand Canyon. State Highway 389 goes west toward St. George, Utah.
